About Taran Rai

Hello world! 🤖

I do AI/ML engineering and data science stuff.

My primary research interests revolve around applied AI/ML in the veterinary and human medical imaging domain - mainly digital pathology. However, I also like to apply AI/ML to other areas like finance and do general data analytics things. Moreover, I've developed a growing interest in the human-technology interaction aspect of AI/ML, with a deeper focus on human-centric approaches.

I am also an Adjunct (Guest) Lecturer for AI and AI Programming at the University of Surrey, School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering, covering the topic of neural networks.

With a career spanning over a decade, I have gained extensive experience as an AI/ML Engineer and Data Scientist. I completed my PhD in AI/ML for digital pathology where my research focused on deep learning and computer vision for grading tasks in canine sarcoma biopsy images. I also hold an MSc in Data Science from City, University of London and a BA (Dual Hons) in Economics and Finance from Keele University.

I am fortunate to have the opportunity to do work that lets me engage with various fields. There are plenty of things that I care about and most of my interests have been shaped by my life experiences. Here are some of these interests, though this is by no means an exhaustive list:

🔬 One Health: Most of my research has focused on computational pathology—applying and developing AI/ML models for the veterinary and human healthcare domains.

🌾 Tech for good: Protecting and providing for future generations is something I’ve grown to care about, especially in the context of sustainable farming, planting trees, and AgriTech.

🎗️ Liver health and liver cancer awareness: My father’s passing has had a profound impact on me and my family. I am dedicating a part of my life to raise awareness on protecting your liver and to honour my father who succumbed to liver cancer this year. A charity initiative is currently under development, so watch this space.

🚑 Supporting the homeless: I’ve been volunteering at a charity called Nishkam SWAT, who do amazing work feeding the homeless and providing OTC medicines and toiletries. I first got involved helping out a mate (and wanting to drive an ambulance); however, I soon realised the huge impact of their work. Do reach out if you’re also interested in volunteering a couple of hours a week, and especially if you’re a healthcare professional.

🍄 Psilocybin for palliative end-of-life care: This is a little bit out there, and admittedly, something I know little about. Nevertheless, there isn’t much discussion on making end-of-life as comfortable as possible. I know there are various research groups exploring the use of microdosing to improve psychological well-being; however, its usage for palliative care deserves more attention.