Misha Patel

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Misha Patel is a recent graduate of Wheeler High School's Advanced STEM Magnet Program in Metro Atlanta, Georgia, with a passion for biomedical engineering and social entrepreneurship. From a young age, Misha exhibited an innate curiosity for creating solutions to real-world problems, a journey that began with her invention of Pacifood, a hybrid pacifier-syringe. This innovative creation earned the Georgia State Science & Engineering Fair Pinnacle Award, and sparked a deep interest in personalized medicine.
 

Building upon this early success, Misha secured an internship at the Georgia Institute of Technology’s Cardiovascular Fluid Mechanics Laboratory with the faculty head of the Biomedical Engineering Department. Initially seeking advice on improving her pacifier design, she soon became captivated by the lab’s research on aortic valves and their potential for personalized medicine. This led her to working to develop a nanoparticle drug delivery system for patients with aortic aneurysms, using computational fluid dynamics. Her research earned recognition from Johns Hopkins University and several organizations including Regeneron. Misha was also selected to attend the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in 2022 and in 2023 where she placed 3rd in Computational Bioinformatics for her research. At ISEF, she validated her research with experts and engaged in spirited debates with peers from all over the world, further adding urgency and purpose to her path forward as she discovered the impact her innovation can have on varied populations. 
 

Misha's research extended to designing a 3D statistical shape model of healthy aortas to detect early indicators of Hypo-attenuated Leaflet Thickening in patients with heart valve issues. She presented her findings to the Biomedical Engineering Department at Georgia Tech and her school’s county board officials. Ignited by these pivotal experiences, Misha’s research drive in personalized medicine burns bright, and she is eager to share her innovations with those who need them most. 
 

Beyond research, Misha is a dedicated leader and community advocate. As National Honor Society President, she founded the Junior Guardian Angel Program at the Center for Children & Young Adults in Austell, Georgia, empowering high school students to support abused youth through tailored educational initiatives. Misha also is an advocate for bridging the gap in science education, which led her to starting STEM initiatives at local libraries so that she could provide free, accessible, and understandable science education to elementary school students. Misha is an accomplished Bharatanatyam dancer with over a decade of training, and enjoys drawing, exploring new cuisines, and traveling.

Misha is excited to leverage her background in biomedical engineering and community leadership at Columbia University to develop innovative healthcare solutions that can be scaled to benefit diverse populations.