Duke’s Nimmi Ramanujam Earns National Academy of Engineering Honor

Biomedical engineer recognized for breakthroughs transforming women’s cancer care globally

Nimmi Ramanujam and colleague in a lab, testing the Pocket Colposcope

The following is a summary of a story that originally appeared on the Pratt School of Engineering website.

Nimmi Ramanujam, the Robert W. Carr Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Duke University, has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering, one of the highest professional distinctions in engineering. Election to the academy recognizes engineers whose work has made exceptional contributions to research, practice, and real-world impact.

Ramanujam founded Duke’s Global Women’s Health Technologies (GWHT) program in 2013 and has since served as the center director. Ramanujam's work has led to the development of low-cost, portable imaging and self-screening technologies integrated with artificial intelligence and digital health platforms to improve early detection of cervical cancer, particularly in low-resource and rural settings worldwide.

In 2019, she also founded Calla Health, a startup commercializing the Pocket Colposcope, a portable cervical cancer imaging technology she invented that has reached more than 8,000 women across 11 countries.

Her research also extends to breast cancer treatment. Ramanujam’s team is currently developing localized immune-modulating therapies paired with real-time metabolic imaging, enabling clinicians to more precisely monitor treatment response and relapse risk while minimizing side effects.

“Congratulations to Nimmi Ramanujam on this well-deserved recognition of her leadership in her field, contributions to society and global vision,” said Alec Gallimore, provost of Duke University, the Alfred J. Hooks E ’68 Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, and a member of the NAE himself. “Dr. Ramanujam’s groundbreaking work in women’s health exemplifies how the work of engineers and scientists can be applied to solving the world’s toughest challenges and helping people around the world flourish.”

“We could not be prouder of Nimmi having been selected to join the prestigious ranks of the National Academy of Engineering in recognition of her incredibly impactful research in women health technologies,” said Jerome P. Lynch, the Vinik Dean of the Pratt School of Engineering.

“Nimmi truly embodies the values and spirit of Duke Engineering. Not only is her research to better detect and cure deadly cancers pioneering, but it is her unwavering commitment to translating her work into real-world settings that uplift women across the globe is truly inspiring to me and all members of our school.”

“Nimmi has been a pillar of the Duke community for two decades, and it is impossible to measure the impact she has had both here and abroad,” added Sharon Gerecht, Chair and the Paul M. Gross Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Duke. “Her leadership in pursuing new methods of impactful optical imaging modalities is a true reflection of Duke’s long-standing excellence in the field. And her unwavering work ethic and dedication to her students, our school and our profession is something we all should strive to embody.”

“This honor reflects the collective efforts of an interdisciplinary community working to ensure that advances in engineering translate into meaningful health impact,” Ramanujam said.

Her election brings the total number of Duke Engineering faculty members who are members of the National Academy of Engineering to 12. As a member, Ramanujam will contribute to the academy’s mission of providing engineering leadership in service to the nation and advising the U.S. government on critical engineering and technology challenges.

To learn more about Ramanujam, go to the Pratt School of Engineering website.