Rashmi Pershad

Rashmi Pershad is an Instructor and Associate Director of Pre-Award Research Administration at George Mason University's College of Humanities and Social Sciences. Her expertise spans research administration, grant proposal development, compliance, and training. She holds a Master of Philosophy from the University of Central Lancashire and a BSc (Hons) in Microbiology from University College London. With over 20 years of experience, she has managed multi-million dollar grants in healthcare and academic settings, including roles at MD Anderson Cancer Center and Virginia Commonwealth University.

Her professional focus includes optimizing research operations, budget management, and regulatory compliance. Notable contributions include securing $13 million in federal and foundation funding for rehabilitation research and overseeing a DNA sequencing facility that contributed to over 100 publications. She has authored/co-authored studies on traumatic brain injury, amantadine drug efficacy, and SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence.

• Grants & Awards: Secured $2.5M NCI funding for DNA core facilities, led NIH-funded projects on TBI outcomes, and managed multi-state clinical trials.
• Education: BSc Microbiology (UCL), MPhil (UCLan), certified Clinical Research Professional (CCRP).
• Presentations: Delivered talks on grant management, clinical trial administration, and inter-generational research training strategies.

Her work bridges scientific research and administrative excellence, supporting faculty in achieving impactful research outcomes through strategic grant development and operational leadership.