Dr. Shah's research program at the MIT Media Lab develops scalable and low-cost diagnostics and therapeutics. His ongoing research areas at MIT include: 1) artificial intelligence and machine learning methods for detection of cancer biomarkers using standard photographs vs. expensive medical images; 2) unorthodox artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms to design optimal and faster clinical trials and to reduce adverse effects on patients; and 3) low-cost and open source imaging devices, paper diagnostics, algorithms and mobile phones to improve public health and generate real-world data.

Clinical studies with Pratik's medical technologies have revealed "missing sick" patients, who otherwise remain undiagnosed in conventional healthcare settings. Dr. Shah's graduate and postdoctoral research contributed to the discovery of a vaccine component to prevent pneumococcal (Streptococcus pneumoniae) diseases; the identification of new pathways, technologies and metabolites as antimicrobials to target gastrointestinal infections; and a nonprofit to deploy a low-cost water quality test for the developing world.

Past recognition for Dr. Shah includes the American Society for Microbiology's Raymond W. Sarber national award, the Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospitals ECOR Fund for Medical Discovery postdoctoral fellowship, the AAAS-Lemelson Invention Ambassador Award and a TED Fellowship. Pratik has been an invited discussion leader at Gordon Research Seminars; a speaker at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories, Gordon Research Conferences and IEEE bioengineering conferences; and a peer reviewer for leading scientific publications and funding agencies. Pratik has a BS, MS, and a PhD in Microbiology and completed fellowship training at The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.