Dr. Mandara Harikar

I'm a medical doctor with a passion for clinical research. With work experience in a diverse range of medical, pharmaceutical, and research settings, I bring to the table the skills of a clinician, researcher, and editor.

Currently, I'm a PhD student in the Dept. of Neuroscience at Monash University. I'm involved in a range of projects on epilepsy, stereotactic electroencephalography, and sudden death in epilepsy (SUDEP).

I enjoy intellectually stimulating work, and thrive in challenging environments.

• Dissertation: Secondary analysis of NASCET data and its implications on trial design: can analysis of baseline data using machine learning techniques help devise patient selection strategies for clinical trials?

Submitted towards M.Sc. in Clinical Trials, The University of Edinburgh, July 2023, 13962 words

Supervisors: Dr. Oluseye A. Ogunbayo and Prof. Benjamin Aribisala, The University of Edinburgh

Score: 79, Grade: A3 (Distinction)

• Prediction of stroke in symptomatic carotid stenosis using machine learning and its implications on clinical trial enrichment

Mandara M. Harikar, Tejas Venkataram, Shreyas Kashyap, Oluseye A. Ogunbayo, Benjamin Aribisala

Journal of Medical Artificial Intelligence, accepted for publication in February 2025

• Effectiveness of non-pharmaceutical interventions as implemented in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic: a rapid review

T Ashcroft, E McSwiggan, E Agyei-Manu, M Nundy, N Atkins, J R Kirkwood, M Ben Salem Machiri...Harikar M

Journal of Global Health, February 2025

• The application of machine learning for treatment selection of unruptured brain arteriovenous malformations: A secondary analysis of the ARUBA trial data

Tejas Venkataram, Shreyas Kashyap, Mandara M. Harikar, Francesco Inserra, Fabio Barone, Mario Travali, Valeriox Da Ros, Giuseppe E Umana, Oluseye A Ogunbayo, Benjamin Aribisala

Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery, February 2025

• Case Report: Adjuvant image- guided radiation therapy reduces surgical invasiveness in malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors

Mandara M Harikar, Gianluca Ferini, Paolo Palmisciano, Muhammad Shakir, Paolo Amico, Stefano Ferraresi and Giuseppe E. Umana

Frontiers in Oncology, April 2023

• Comparison of staged stereotactic radiosurgery and fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy in patients with brain metastases > 2 cm without prior whole brain radiotherapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Mandara M. Harikar, Tejas Venkataram, Paolo Palmisciano, Gianluca Scalia, Matias Baldoncini, Salvatore Massimiliano Cardali, Giuseppe E. Umana, Gianluca Ferini

World Neurosurgery, October 2023 

• What are the characteristics of participatory surveillance systems for influenza-like-illness?

Nadege Atkins, Mandara M. Harikar,  Kirsten Duggan, Agnieszka Zawiejska, Vaishali Vardhan, Laura Vokey, et al. (Shared first authorship)

Journal of Global Health, October 2023

• Considerations on surgery invasiveness and response and toxicity patterns in classic palliative radiotherapy for acrometastases of the hand: a hint for a potential role of stereotactic body radiation therapy? A case report and literature review

 Gianluca Ferini, Valentina Zagardo, Anna Viola, Marco Maria Aiello, Mandara M. Harikar, Tejas Venkataram, et al.

Frontiers in Oncology, June 2023

• Introducing Radiotherapy in Metastatic Merkel Cell Carcinoma Patients with Limited Progression on Avelumab: An Effective Step against Primary and Secondary Immune Resistance?

Gianluca Ferini  Valentina Zagardo, Paola Critelli, Anna Santacaterina, Serena Sava, Mandara M. Harikar, et al.
Journal of Personalized Medicine, May 2023

• In Reply to the Letter to the Editor Regarding “The Role of Social Media on the Research Productivity of Neurosurgeons During the COVID-19 Pandemic

 Raj Swaroop Lavadi, Ismail Bozkurt, Mandara M. Harikar, Giuseppe Emmanuele Umana, Bipin Chaurasia 

World Neurosurgery, March 2023

• Detection of brain and body incidentalomas on 68Ga-DOTATOC-PET scans. A mixed-reality assisted paper.

Giuseppe Emmanuele Umana, Gianluca Ferini, Mandara M. Harikar, Tejas Venkataram, Roberta Costanzo, Gianluca Scalia, Paolo Palmisciano, et al.

Anticancer Research, December 2022.

• The Role of Social Media on the Research Productivity of Neurosurgeons during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Raj Swaroop Lavadi, Ismail Bozkurt, Mandara M. Harikar, Giuseppe Emmanuele Umana, Bipin Chaurasia  

World Neurosurgery, September 16, 2022

• Factors Determining Psychological Stress among Indian Adolescents and Young Adults during the COVID‑19 Outbreak

Neha Agarwal, Mandara M. Harikar, Rishi Shukla, Anurag Bajpai

Indian Journal of Social Psychiatry; March 31, 2021

• Living with type 2 diabetes in COVID-19: Exploring the challenges faced

Neha Agarwal, Rishi Shukla, Manisha Gupta, Mandara M. Harikar, Anurag Bajpai

Journal of Diabetology · Mar 1, 2021

• COVID-19 pandemic: a double trouble for Indian adolescents and young adults living with type 1 diabetes

Neha Agarwal, Mandara M. Harikar, Rishi Shukla, Anurag Bajpai

International Journal of Diabetes in Developing Countries; September 20, 2020

• The Impact of COVID-19 and Lockdown on Plastic Surgery Training and Practice in India

Dharini, Shalabh Kumar, Amrita More, Mandara M. Harikar

Indian Journal of Plastic Surgery; August 2020

• Received the "Partner-in-Crime" Award by Cactus Communications for good quarterly performance in Jan-March 2021.
• Received "Star of the Business" Award by Accenture for best quarterly performance in Jan-March 2019.
• First prize in the Case Presentation competition held at Madras Medical College, Chennai, for the case titled - 'A rare congenital anomaly - Y shaped Urethral Duplication.'
• First prize in the Case Presentation competition held at Panacea, the medical fest organized by Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, for the case titled - 'An inadvertently acquired mass - a case of a trichobezoar.'
• First prize in the Symposium competition held at Panacea, the medical fest organized by Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, for the topic - 'Limbs for life, can we add life to artificial limbs?'
• Third prize in Research Paper Presentation competition held at Panacea, the medical fest organized by Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, for presentation of the paper titled - 'The Swiss Cheese Model in Surgery.'
• Poster presentation on 'The Risk factors of Oral malignancy' at Empower - International Medical Congress, Stanley Medical College, Chennai
• First prize in the essay writing competition at KARMIC - Annual International Medical Research Competition conducted at Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangalore
• Editor of the college magazine -'Petrichor' for the year 2014.

Test of English and Other Foreign Languages (TOEFL) Score: 117/120