research forum
Introducing the new SIR Foundation scientist position
Govindarajan Srimathveeravalli, PhD, has recently joined the SIR Foundation Board of Directors in a newly created position for Scientist Members of SIR. Dr. Srimathveeravalli is an assistant professor in the department of mechanical and industrial engineering at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He was previously faculty in the department of radiology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. His research has been supported by grants from SIR Foundation, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Department of Defense, industrial contracts and various philanthropic foundations.
IR Quarterly sat down with Dr. Srimathveeravalli to discuss his research, his role in SIR and how scientists and physicians can be working collaborators.
Can you tell us a bit about your background and research interests? I am trained as a mechanical engineer. I got my MS and PhD in mechanical engineering at the University of Buffalo in New York, and that’s where I was introduced to image-guided procedures and began working with physicians. My PhD thesis was on building an image- guided robot to manipulate catheters. I worked at a start-up for a year working on image-guided robotics projects, such as simulation-based training for performing laparoscopic surgery. When I chose to pursue more serious research, I accepted a postdoctoral position at Memorial Sloane Kettering Cancer Center, where I worked under the chief of interventional radiology, Stephen B. Solomon, MD, FSIR. I
Govindarajan Srimathveeravalli, PhD
The question is, what kind of relationship does IR want with the scientists developing this technology?
worked on an image-guided robot that performed biopsies, and from there I was exposed to interventional procedures and became interested in the biological response of tumors to the different energy modalities typically used for ablation.
How did you get involved with SIR?
I joined SIR in 2013 and have been a scientist member for several years. There are only a handful of us, and I’m very
proud to be one of them. Because of the encouragement of my mentor and the support of others in the society, I have been engaged in doing workshops at SIR’s annual scientific meetings since 2015. In addition, I’ve been a member of the research, grants and education division, and helped revamp the grant application process into the two-phase strategy we use now.
The scientist position on the foundation Board of Directors is a new role. What’s your vision for it? It’s still early days, and part of the work I’m doing now is to scope out what’s possible and how much we should attempt as part of this position. I have the opportunity to shape this position, not just for myself, but for those who follow me. It’s important because SIR—at various levels—has always tried to engage scientists. It is one of the few organizations that support grant applications from PhD members and provides recognition for their efforts. I’m sure members at different points have thought about how they can facilitate engagement with and improve collaboration with scientist members. One of my primary goals, right now, is to meet different members and listen to those who have been in the society for a while to understand what works, what doesn’t work and how we can make scientists more part of the work.
Why is improving communication between physicians and scientists important? IR as a discipline was enabled by technology. Starting with Charles Dotter, physicians created tools so
36 IRQ | SUMMER 2021
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