Kaveri Thakoor

Kaveri Thakoor, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Ophthalmic Science (in Ophthalmology) at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. She directs the Artificial Intelligence for Vision Science (AI4VS) Laboratory, specializing in developing robust and interpretable deep learning systems for ophthalmology applications. Her research addresses key challenges in AI translation to clinical practice, including model generalization across imaging modalities and institutions.

Education

• BS, Chemistry (Honors) – Stanford University (2010)
• MS, Computer Science – University of Southern California (2015)
• PhD, Biomedical Engineering – Columbia University (2022)

Research Focus

Dr. Thakoor's research integrates AI with ophthalmology to enhance disease diagnosis. Key areas include: glaucoma detection using OCT scans, multimodal analysis of age-related macular degeneration, generative adversarial networks for portable OCT image enhancement, and eye-tracking-informed AI systems. Her lab aims to develop clinically deployable tools that improve accessibility and diagnostic accuracy across diverse populations.

Publication Trends

Dr. Thakoor's recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on deep learning applications in medical imaging, particularly glaucoma and AMD detection. Her work evolves from foundational computer vision research to clinically oriented AI systems, emphasizing multimodal data fusion, model interpretability, and real-world robustness. Earlier publications reflect interdisciplinary contributions to seismology and assistive technologies.

Awards and Honors

• Biomedical Engineering Young Scientist Award, NEBEC (2022)
• Morton B. Friedman Memorial Prize for Excellence (2022)
• Three Minute Thesis Finalist (2022)
• NIH Director’s Early Independence Award Candidate (2021)
• NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (2018)
• 2nd Place Best Student Paper Award (2015)
• Best Student Paper Award (2013)
• National Merit Commended Scholar (2006)
• Girl Scout Gold Award (2005)

Laboratory

The AI4VS Laboratory develops AI systems as clinical collaborators for ophthalmologists. Current projects include constraint-based AI using expert eye-tracking patterns, portable OCT integration, and cross-institutional validation of diagnostic algorithms.