Sridatta Teerdhala
2025
University of Pennsylvania
Sridatta Teerdhala, from Richardson, Texas, is a senior at the University of Pennsylvania in the Roy and Diana Vagelos Program in Life Sciences and Management, pursuing a dual degree in biology and economics. An only son of Indian immigrants, Sridatta has become an advocate for healthcare access and innovation, combining his passion for science and business to address pressing medical challenges. At the University of Pennsylvania, he is an undergraduate researcher in the Mitchell Lab, developing novel lipid nanoparticle technologies for aƯordable cancer immunotherapies, which have led to publications. He also works for the Chan Lab at UT Southwestern, contributing to the commercialization of breast cancer immunotherapies, while providing strategic consulting to healthcare startups through Wharton Snider Consulting. He co-founded Penn Hoops4Hope, a club that supports a basketball league for homeless shelters, integrating healthcare and career development initiatives for participants. As a coordinator for the Penn Medicine Educational Pipeline Program, Sridatta mentors underrepresented high school students in West Philadelphia, introducing them to the world of biotech and connecting them with internships and research opportunities. He also volunteers at the Philadelphia Veteran AƯairs Medical Center and the Penn Center for Surgical Health, where he supports patients navigating their healthcare journeys. Beyond his academic and professional endeavors, Sridatta is writing a historical fiction novel set in the Mahajanapadas period of ancient India.
As a Marshall Scholar, Sridatta will spend his first year at the University of Cambridge pursuing an MPhil in Medical Science. There, he will research under Dr. Raza Ali, leveraging multidimensional molecular tissue imaging and computational analysis to advance innovative approaches for diagnosing and treating cancer. After a year at Cambridge, Sridatta intends to spend a year at the London School of Economics and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, pursuing an MSc in Health Policy, Planning, and Financing to learn how to translate innovative cancer diagnostics and treatments to low- and middle-income countries.