Vaishak Harish

I am a Biomedical Engineer and computational neuroscientist in training, passionate about unraveling how the brain supports speech and communication. My work bridges neuroscience, machine learning, and biomedical engineering, with experience spanning deep learning for medical imaging, retinal biomarkers of schizophrenia, and advanced fMRI analysis of speech production. Starting Fall 2025, I will begin my Ph.D. in Bioengineering (Neural Engineering track) at the University of Pittsburgh in the Speech Neural Systems Lab under Dr. Jason Bohland. As an aspiring neuroscientist, my goal is to develop computational tools and high-resolution neuroimaging pipelines that deepen our understanding of predictive coding, motor-sensory integration, and the neural systems that make speech possible.

  • PhD, University of Pittsburgh, 2025 - 2030
  • Master of Science, Carnegie Mellon University, 2022 - 2023
  • Bachelor of Engineering, BMS College of Engineering, 2017 - 2021

  • Harish, V., Padmanabha, A., Appaji, A., Palaniappan, P., Nayak, R., Jacob, A., Kamaraj, P., Ummar, S., Sureshkumar, R., Kumar, V., Varambally, S., Kesavan, M., Venkatasubramanian, G., Rao, S.V., Webers, C.A.B., Berendschot, T.T.J.M., & Rao, N.P. (2025). A multicentric study examining a deep-learning-based computer model for classifying bipolar disorder using retinal vascular images. J Affect Disord, 389, 119718.Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2025.119718.
  • Appaji, A., Harish, V., Korann, V., Devi, P., Jacob, A., Padmanabha, A., Kumar, V., Varambally, S., Venkatasubramanian, G., Rao, S.V., Suma, H.N., Webers, C.A.B., Berendschot, T.T.J.M., & Rao, N.P. (2022). Deep learning model using retinal vascular images for classifying schizophrenia. Schizophr Res, 241, 238-243.Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.schres.2022.01.058.
headshot of Vaishak Harish
Contact Vaishak Harish
Researcher Graduate Student
Graduate Student Researcher (GSR)
VAH67@pitt.edu
Bioengineering Department