Sanjay Soni

Bioengineering, Rice University       

Sanjay Soni is a medical student from Las Vegas, NV, USA. He completed his B.S. in Bioengineering from Rice University.

During his undergraduate studies, Sanjay conducted extensive research with the Therapeutics Discovery Division at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, started the Rice Student Birding Club, and worked as a Coach for Rice University’s Engineering Communications program. In addition, he and his team developed a novel urologic resectoscope prototype aiming to reduce recurrence after Trans-Urethral Resection of Bladder Tumor (TURBT) surgery, for which his team was awarded first place in both the 2026 OEDK Engineering-Design Showcase and the 2026 Design for Medical Devices competition. Sanjay created Project Kestrel, a software solving an important need for bird photographers, which earned him the winner of the AI Price and a top 5 finalist spot in the 2026 Napier Rice Launch Challenge.

Sanjay chose the EnMed program because, quite simply, he is a builder at heart. For much of his life, he loved to prototype, to tinker, and to disassemble. During his undergraduate studies, Sanjay explored and shadowed unmet needs at Texas Children’s Hospital and the Texas Heart Institute. The experience was transformative, revealing how the physician-engineer could not only serve patients with compassion but also identify the exact gaps in healthcare that demanded innovation. After seeing this vision, he chose the EnMed program because he understood and deeply resonated with the program’s philosophy.

Outside of his studies, Sanjay loves birdwatching and bird photography. You can find him in national parks, nature spaces, or just out in the neighborhood, staring intently at trees through binoculars or a lengthy camera lens, attempting to identify a bird, often with friends or family.