Avanthika Rajendran is a master’s candidate at Northwestern University with a background in neuroscience and healthcare access. She graduated from Reed College in 2024, where her senior thesis examined aging in the glymphatic system of non-human primates using advanced MRI techniques to quantify perivascular fluid spaces. Her academic interests are rooted in the intersection of health policy, economics, and the impact of scientific research on policy making. Avanthika has held research and healthcare roles in various settings, including commercial, academic, and non-profit organizations. At Genentech, she supports the Access Solutions and Patient Support team, focusing on affordability programs and patient navigation. Previously, she served as a research fellow at the Oregon National Primate Research Center, a pediatric medical assistant, and a software engineering intern at Dexcom. She has co-authored multiple peer-reviewed publications on neurodegenerative diseases and rare neurological conditions. Her growing interest in healthcare access and policy is driven by both clinical experience and data-driven research. She is particularly focused on pharmaceutical patient assistance programs, copay policies, and the regulatory landscape that shapes access to care.
