Ryan Rava

Where are you from?

Originally, I am from a small town called Hastings located in the Syracuse, N.Y. area. However, since I started my studies at UB in 2014, I have resided in Buffalo and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future as my current position is based remotely.

Why did you choose UB? How did it help prepare you for your current career?

UB provided me with the opportunity to not only work in my desired field of the neuro-imaging space for my doctoral studies, but also provided the opportunity to work directly with various clinicians. I was able to witness various medical procedures and obtain feedback directly from clinicians on what medical software needed to be improved to aid in patient outcomes. Being able to gain this first-hand experience more than prepared me for my career as it allowed me to build collaborative skills in addition to working through current medical field problems. 

Tell us about your current role at Vyaire Medical.

My current responsibilities focus on the analysis of clinical trial data and the development of artificial intelligence-based algorithms to improve the diagnosis and treatment of patients who need respiratory care. Additionally, my responsibilities focus on developing collaborations between the data science team and clinicians to develop future respiratory treatment algorithms. Continuing to develop these collaborations is what I like most about this job since these collaborations are what allow for the satisfaction of knowing what I am working on is making a difference.  

What motivated you to pursue your chosen field?

The ability to continue making a difference within the medical industry is what drew me to Vyaire Medical. During my doctoral studies, I was lucky enough to work in a research lab directly tied to a comprehensive stroke center, which allowed my artificial intelligence-based research algorithms to make a difference within a clinical setting. When searching for future employment, I wanted to be able to continue developing these algorithms for a company that would deploy them clinically to aid in patient care and Vyaire Medical provided that opportunity. 

Tell us about your doctoral research.

My research focused on the development of artificial intelligence-based algorithms to aid clinicians in the diagnosis and treatment of hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke patients. More specifically, my research encompassed the detection of both stroke types, segmentation of hemorrhagic and dead cerebral tissue regions, and intraoperative assessment of salvageable and unsalvageable cerebral tissue. All of my research was overseen by my doctoral advisor Dr. Ciprian Ionita and my clinical advisor Dr. Kenneth Snyder.

What advice do you have for UB students who will soon embark on their careers in a highly competitive workforce, and for those who have recently graduated?

Be confident in yourself and never be afraid to ask questions. The way you build upon your knowledge and branch out in your collaborations is by picking the brains of others and the varying skill sets of the staff at UB provides a great opportunity for this.