Dancing, hiking, trying new foods and recipes
Deeksha Kanagaraj
O Fallon,Missouri
Summary
I aspire to bridge the gap between biomedical innovation and health equity. My work supporting immigrant families has provided me with a deep understanding of the socio-economic barriers to care. I have learned a lot through my research with collagen scaffolds when it comes to laboratory environment. I am committed to a career as a researcher where my technical output is directly informed by the needs of underserved populations, ensuring that the future of healthcare is both scientifically advanced and socially inclusive.
Overview
1
1
year of professional experience
Work History
Emergency Department Volunteer
Barnes Jewish
O'Fallon, MO
02.2026 - Current
- Provided companionship and emotional support to patients, enhancing their comfort and well-being.
- Facilitated communication between patients and medical personnel, improving understanding of care procedures.
- Assisted nursing staff with daily care tasks, ensuring patient needs were met promptly.
- Maintained cleanliness and organization of waiting areas and treatment rooms.
- Assisted medical staff with patient intake and triage processes.
Volunteer
Kids Vision For Life and Delta Gamma Center
St. Louis, Missouri
01.2026 - Current
- Assisted in high-volume vision screenings for underserved student populations, operating specialized equipment to identify potential vision impairments.
- Facilitated clinical workflow by managing student stations, ensuring accurate data entry of screening results, and identifying candidates requiring follow-up exams with an optometrist.
- Designed and implemented age-appropriate activities for children with diverse needs, focusing on sensory engagement, motor skill development, and social interaction.
- Communicated complex instructions in child-friendly language, increasing compliance during screenings and improving the success rate of various developmental activities.
Volunteer
Archway Refugee Connections
St Louis, MO
10.2025 - Current
- Facilitated one-on-one tutoring sessions, adapting teaching methods to individual learning styles and needs of immigrant adults.
- Increased student confidence in spoken English through consistent practice and constructive feedback during conversational exercises.
- Directed on-site childcare operations, creating a safe and engaging environment for 15-20 children of adult learners to enable uninterrupted classroom participation.
- Contributed actionable insights during weekly team meetings, providing feedback on student engagement and logistical hurdles to improve program efficiency.
- Managed pick-ups and drop-offs for multiple households that lack access to transportation.
Research Assistant
Saint Louis University
St Louis, MO
03.2025 - Current
- Assisted in designing and implementing experimental protocols for ongoing studies.
- Fabricated 3D collagen scaffolds using electrospinning, ensuring uniform pore distribution and structural integrity for cellular infiltration.
- Engineered and operated custom bioreactor systems to provide controlled mechanical stimulation to developing tissue constructs.
- Analyzed data using statistical software to ensure research accuracy and reliability.
- Collaborated with team members to prepare findings for presentations and publications.
- Contributed to grant writing efforts by providing relevant data and insights.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Biomedical Engineering
Saint Louis University
St. Louis, MO05-2028
Skills
- Patient care assistance
- Skilled in MATLAB, R Studio, and SolidWorks
- Medical terminology
- Data collection
- Literature reviews
- Lab equipment operation
- Research project design
- Problem-solving skills
Interests
Timeline
Emergency Department Volunteer
Barnes Jewish
02.2026 - Current
Volunteer
Kids Vision For Life and Delta Gamma Center
01.2026 - Current
Volunteer
Archway Refugee Connections
10.2025 - Current
Research Assistant
Saint Louis University
03.2025 - Current
Bachelor of Science - Biomedical Engineering
Saint Louis University