Rinku Rajan is the Programme Manager for Health Data Research UK (HDR UK), Scotland and also the HDR UK Training Lead for Scotland.
In 2023, she joined the Usher Institute at the University of Edinburgh, where she manages projects within the Centre for Medical Informatics portfolio, including several prestigious, high-profile programmes and interdisciplinary grants in health data science. Rinku’s responsibilities include the timely setup and completion of projects, encompassing planning, agreement, and monitoring all project deliverables. She also identifies and resolves project risks and issues, and reports progress against plan and budget targets.
Prior to joining the Usher Institute, Rinku served as Clinical Development Manager in a pharma company. There, she led the clinical evaluation of diagnostic assays for tuberculosis as part of a global study, overseeing key aspects of study design and execution, including study management, regulatory compliance, quality assurance, data analysis, and data management.
Since 2008, Rinku has led research and development projects across both academic and commercial sectors. Her work has primarily focused on therapeutic areas such as neglected tropical diseases, stem cell applications in neurodegenerative disorders, and synthetic promoter-based gene therapy for rare genetic conditions.
Rinku’s academic background includes an undergraduate degree in chemistry, followed by postgraduate qualifications in both bioinformatics and biotechnology. Additionally, she completed a short-term certification in clinical trial data management and documentation.
