Dr Rohan Gorantla

Dr Rohan Gorantla 

Cohort: 2020-2025

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohangorantla/

What was your PhD research about?

My PhD research focused on developing AI models to predict how strongly a potential drug molecule will bind to a disease-related protein. Making these predictions computationally allows us to screen large sets of molecules (several millions) and then focus experimental testing on the most promising ones.

What motivated you to undertake doctoral study?

I’ve been drawn to science since high school, and during my undergrad I was fascinated by the rise of AI and its potential across so many fields. What excited me most was its application to human health — working on medical imaging projects showed me how powerful this could be. That experience motivated me to pursue a PhD as a way to dive deeper and make even a small but meaningful contribution to advancing knowledge. The Biomedical AI CDT program was perfect fit in that regard, as it gave me room in the first year (MSc year) to explore different research areas before zeroing in on my PhD research direction.

What are you doing now career-wise, and how did your PhD prepare you for it?

I’m currently at Novartis, working on machine learning methods to support the early stages of drug discovery.

What’s one key skill or mindset you developed during your PhD that you still rely on today?

Resilience. PhD journey has lots of ups and downs— motivation dips, experiments fail, and sometimes things don’t work out as planned. Learning how to keep going, adapt, and push through those moments is something I carry with me every day.

What advice would you give to someone considering a PhD in biomedical AI?

I once read that a PhD is not a sprint but a marathon — and I’ve found that to be very true. It is important to pace yourself. You’ll face setbacks, but learning how to adapt, keep going, and stay curious makes all the difference. It also helps to build something that excites you and sparks interest in others. At the same time, don’t let research be the only thing in your life — having hobbies, friendships, and activities outside the lab keeps you grounded and gives you energy for the long haul. You don’t need to have everything figured out at the start; just take the first step, keep learning along the way, and new opportunities will open up.