Spotlighting Our Engineering Team: The Experts Accelerating Our Data (Anitha Nalumachu)

We’re shining a spotlight on a few of our Engineering team members at Verana Health. This team of more than 40 bright minds is responsible for the development of sophisticated pipelines and platforms that allow us to ingest and curate a high volume of de-identified healthcare data that can help accelerate research and improve patients’ lives.

In this blog series, we spotlight Anitha Nalumachu.

Q: How would you explain your role?

A: As a data engineer, I play a crucial role on the Quality Assurance team, ensuring our products align with business requirements. These requirements encompass diverse categories, including visual aesthetics, user interactions, and intricate numerical calculations at multiple levels. My favorite aspect involves delving into Verana Health’s extensive dataset for analytical data matching. 

What I find most gratifying about my role is the need to stay abreast of both the Product team’s requirements and the Engineering team’s implementations. As guardians of quality from both ends, we seize every opportunity to automate our processes. We’ve developed systems that perform thorough quality checks, promptly reporting any deviations in system behavior from the expected norms.

Q: What attracted you to the field of Engineering?

Unleashing my fervor, I dive into data, uncovering patterns and dissecting the root causes behind discrepancies in displayed metrics on the screen.

A: I have a deep curiosity for logical analysis. My passion for mathematics, cultivated during my school days, particularly flourished in solving reasoning problems that required proving concepts based on given inputs. This enthusiasm extends to my enjoyment of criminal investigation movies, where the storyline engages in a curious exploration guided by subtle hints.

Unsurprisingly, these interests seamlessly converged with engineering, specifically data engineering. Unleashing my fervor, I dive into data, uncovering patterns and dissecting the root causes behind discrepancies in displayed metrics on the screen. For me, tasks that involve delving into data are where my enthusiasm kicks into overdrive.

Q: What attracted you to Verana Health?

A: I perceive the influence on a patient’s health, particularly when dealing with rare diseases that often escape attention and study, as a noble cause. What captivates me is Verana Health’s role in bridging the gap and facilitating research on these diseases by meticulously collecting vast and intricate datasets. The commitment to maintaining exceptional quality, while making these datasets accessible to research clinicians, is something I deeply appreciate.

Q: What inspires you to do this work?

A: Finding inspiration in leveraging technology to improve patients’ lives is my driving force. While I didn’t pursue medicine, the ability to positively impact patient care through tasks aligned with my skill set is truly motivational for me.

Q: What is the most rewarding part of your job?

A: The ultimate satisfaction for me lies in the realization that my work has the potential to prevent someone from losing their eyesight in the future. I can’t think of any other reward that could surpass this sense of fulfillment.

Since joining Verana Health, the products and the team have played a pivotal role in expanding my skill set. Continuously challenging my assumptions, they have been instrumental in shaping me into a well-rounded engineer.

Q: What advancements do you see in your field in the next 5 years?

A: I believe that the realm of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) holds immense potential for revolutionizing the construction of research datasets. I anticipate significant advancements in this field within the next year or two. With confidence, I foresee Verana Health leading the way in harnessing the power of AI and ML to elevate its current solutions to new heights.

When she’s not engaging in her role as guardian of our data, Anitha enjoys cherished moments with her children (Pictured embracing the serene beauty of a sunset in Lake Tahoe).