About me
Ishaan is a global health researcher and social entrepreneur on a mission to ensure access to affordable and equitable healthcare worldwide.
Growing up in Bakersfield, California, Ishaan observed a critical gap in access to healthcare amidst a homelessness crisis. He founded Healthy Community, an organization that partners with local medical providers, non-profits, and social workers to organize pop-up, no-cost medical clinics at homeless shelters, helping 4,000 people receive medical care so far. Ishaan also designed and patented a novel urinary catheter to prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infections, a major bacterial biofilm infection that kills thousands of people annually. As he continues to refine the device, he is conducting research with the Jones Lab to develop devices that improve bacterial biofilms imaging. Ishaan has received local, state, and international recognition for his work, sits on the board of the North Carolina Science Fair Foundation, and is a co-founder of Durham AIM, which provides free, tailored college advising to high school students. Ishaan will begin Duke University’s Global Health master’s program in the fall, particularly interested in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and the inaccessibility of the biological drug market in low- and middle-income countries. He is dedicated to melding his diverse experience in community health and biomedical research to develop global health innovations and interventions that are scalable, equitable, and effective.