Class of 2027 · Round Rock, Texas · Computational Oncology

Venika Kakarla

Aspiring Physician-ScientistAI ResearcherHealthcare Innovator

I use machine learning to study liver cancer: how a tumor is organized, how mutations break the proteins that protect us, and which molecules might stop the cancer from coming back.

Explore the research View resume Everything at a glance

Mission

I want to combine medicine, science, and technology to create solutions that improve human health at scale.
Today that means using machine learning to understand cancer. Over the years ahead, I hope it means caring for patients as a physician, leading research that changes how disease is found and treated, and helping build the tools that carry that research to people who need it.
  • 1.4Mcells mapped in liver cancer tissue with the Dhanasekaran Lab, Stanford Medicine
  • 91%accuracy of my graph neural network for p53–DNA binding
  • 1 of 12Texas finalists, National STEM Festival 2026
  • 4.0unweighted GPA, Round Rock High School

Key interests

  • AI in Healthcare
  • Cancer Research
  • Computational Biology
  • Neuroscience
  • Precision Medicine
  • Healthcare Innovation

At a glance

Everything in one place

Research, honors, leadership and links on one page. Each item links to the full details.

Research

All project details →

Honors & awards

National & International

  • National STEM Festival FinalistNational STEM Festival · 2026Selected as 1 of 12 Texas finalists out of 2,500 applicants nationwide.
  • MIT THINK CommendedMIT THINK Scholars Program · 2025Commended for a p53 binding-effect prediction model — top 10% of 1,092 applicants.
  • NCWIT Aspirations in Computing — Honorable MentionNational Center for Women & Information Technology · 2026Honorable Mention recognition, selected from 2,700 applicants nationally.
  • USNCO National Exam NomineeU.S. National Chemistry Olympiad · 2026One of 12 students in the Central Texas area (out of ~1,000) selected to sit the national exam.
  • Cambridge Re:think Essay Competition — Honorable MentionCambridge Centre for International Research · 2023 (Grade 9)Internationally recognized Honorable Mention, top 350 of 4,200 entrants worldwide.
  • VentureEd Global Commended FellowVentureEd Tech Accelerator · 2026Commended Fellow; presented a novel ML model for cancer research at a professional AI/startup meetup.
  • PDK Public Speaking — National QualifierPhi Delta Kappa · 2025Qualified nationally from competitors across 46+ states.

Regional & State

  • Austin Area Science Fair (GARSEF) — 3rd & 4th PlaceGreater Austin Regional Science & Engineering Fair · 2025 Biomedical & Health (3rd/300); 2026 Translational Medical Sciences (4th/450)Back-to-back regional placements across two independent ML research projects.
  • USA Biology Olympiad — Certificate of MeritUSABO · 2024 & 2025Two-time Certificate of Merit, placing in the top 30% of scorers on the open exam.
  • Science UIL Westwood — 1st Place, BiologyUIL Westwood Invitational1st place in Biology out of 140 competitors.
  • Science UIL Pflugerville — 1st Biology, 3rd OverallUIL Pflugerville Invitational1st place in Biology and 3rd place overall out of 90 competitors.
  • HOSA Area 1 — 2nd Place & State QualifierHOSA Future Health Professionals · 20252nd place out of 40 top-performing students; qualified for state competition.
  • PDK Public Speaking — State QualifierPhi Delta Kappa · 2026Qualified for state out of 40+ regional participants.
Honors page →

Leadership & activities

  • Center for Government and Civic Service (CGCS) — with Austin AI Alliance (AIMUG), NASA & SerpAPIHead Operations Intern · All year · Grades 9–12
  • Austin AI Alliance (AAIA), in partnership with CGCSOperations Intern · During school break · Grades 11–12
  • Center for Government and Civic ServiceInvited Speaker · Jul 2024
  • High School Summer Tutors (HSSTutors) & LeapOnSAT TutoringFounder & CEO · During school breaks · Grades 9–12
  • Leaf CoursesLeaf Course Finalist for AI (Oxbridge-sponsored) · During school break · Grades 11–12
  • Austin Hindu TempleVolunteer · Weekends · Sep 2023 — Present
  • Round Rock Area Serving CenterVolunteer · 8 months, 2023
  • Science National Honor Society (SNHS)Co-President (12); Parliamentarian (11) · During school year · Grades 11–12
  • Science Olympiad Club (USABO & USNCO)President (12); Co-President (11); Secretary (10) · During school year · Grades 10–12
  • Science UIL (Texas academic competition league)Secretary (11); Co-President (12) · All year · Grades 10–12
Full activity list → Ventures →

Education

  • Round Rock High School2023 — 2027 (Expected)Round Rock, TX · Unweighted GPA 4.0 / 4.0 · Weighted 5.85 / 6.0
  • AP Biology
  • AP Chemistry
  • AP Computer Science
  • AP Statistics
  • Research Independent Study
About me →

The thread

One question, three angles

Liver cancer often comes back after treatment. What in a tumor's biology predicts that, and can a model see it early enough to change the plan?

01The tissue

How are immune cells and blood vessels arranged inside a tumor, and do those patterns relate to how patients do?

Liver Cancer Vascular & Immune Mapping →

02The protein

When a mutation hits p53, the protein that normally stops tumors, how much does it weaken its grip on DNA?

p53–CDKN1A Mutation Binding Model →

03The molecule

Could one small molecule block two pathways that help liver cancer survive treatment and return?

PD-L1 / TGFBR1 Dual-Inhibition Generative Model →

Featured

Founder in training

Building what research makes possible

  • 35+students taught through my tutoring company
  • $3,000+revenue earned from tutoring
  • 50+families advised on academic planning
See the ventures

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Inside the work

AboutThe questions have people on the other endResearchMy research asks whether machine learning can find the patterns in cancer data that people cannot see by eye, and turn them into better decisions about treatment. Includes 2 recorded talks.Projects4 research projects with methods and results, and 5 concepts for the future.VenturesFounder of a tutoring company with $3,000+ in revenue, and the healthcare ventures I want to build next.Honors13 honors, including National STEM Festival Finalist and MIT THINK Commended.LeadershipResearch communication, STEM advocacy, Public speaking, Collaboration, Mentorship.VisionThe Future of Healthcare, and a roadmap from 2027 to 2040.InsightsAI & Medicine — Research LogContactCollaboration, Research opportunities, Academic networking, Speaking engagements.