Shishir Rao
Research groups
Shishir Rao
BA, MSc, DPhil
Senior Research Scientist in Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Epidemiology
- AI research lead in Deep Medicine research group
- DPhil supervisor
Deep learning, risk prediction, causal inference, cardiovascular disease,
Shishir Rao is a senior AI research scientist within the Deep Medicine research group led by Professor Kazem Rahimi specialising in deep learning applications for medical risk prediction and outcome analysis. He completed his DPhil at the University of Oxford under Professor Kazem Rahimi's supervision, following a Master of Science in Computer Science from Oxford and a dual bachelor's degree in Mathematics and Computer Science from New York University.
Currently, Rao co-leads multiple AI-driven healthcare initiatives with Rahimi, focusing on perinatal risk assessment, understanding musculoskeletal conditions, and understanding heart failure. His research combines cutting-edge AI approaches with clinical applications, particularly emphasising:
Transformer-based deep learning architectures for multimodal electronic health records (EHR) analysis, pioneering new approaches to medical data integration and interpretation. He has pioneered the BEHRT model, the first Transformer model for multimodal EHR. His work extends to developing novel frameworks for causal inference in complex healthcare settings, with a particular focus on explainable AI methods for clinical decision support.
Rao's research portfolio includes significant contributions to cardiovascular risk prediction and the study of multimorbidity patterns in long-term conditions. His interdisciplinary approach bridges the gap between advanced computational methods and practical clinical applications, aiming to improve patient care through innovative AI solutions.
Recent publications
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Journal article
Rao S. and Rahimi K., (2025), Lancet Digit Health, 7, e106 - e107
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Journal article
Rao S. et al, (2024), IEEE Trans Neural Netw Learn Syst, 35, 5027 - 5038
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Antihypertensive Treatment Evaluation in Multimorbidity and Polypharmacy Trial (ATEMPT): A decentralised open-label pilot trial
Journal article
Majert J. et al, (2023), The Lancet. Healthy Longevity
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Journal article
Rao S. et al, (2023), Eur Heart J
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Deep learning for causal inference on electronic health records
Thesis / Dissertation
Rao S., (2023)