Cyril Pillai

Bioinfomatics, Baylor University

Cyril Pillai is from McKinney, Texas, and graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Bioinformatics from Baylor University. While at Baylor, Cyril was actively involved in a number of initiatives focused on mentorship and improving healthcare accessibility. He co-founded the “Bear Tracks” shadowing program, which expanded access to clinical experiences for pre-health students in Waco, Texas.

He also volunteered as an EMT-B, served as a hospice caregiver, and mentored aspiring healthcare students from medically underserved communities. In recognition of his academic achievements and volunteer contributions, Cyril received the Outstanding Senior in Bioinformatics award upon graduation. In his gap year, Cyril furthered his commitment to expanding healthcare accessibility by volunteering as a patient care technician at CommonGood Medical, a clinic serving underinsured patients.

Interested in the intersection of medicine and computation, Cyril completed several research projects that integrated both fields. His long-term undergraduate project leveraged machine learning algorithms to elucidate the genetic basis of hepatocellular carcinoma, for which he won the “Best Paper Award” at the 2024 Southwest Data Science Conference. During his gap year, Cyril worked alongside researchers in the Danuser Lab at UT Southwestern Medical Center to develop a computer vision pipeline that segments 3D leukemia cell-surface protrusions induced by targeted drug therapy.

Cyril chose EnMed because he wants to pursue his goal of becoming a physician that is both a caregiver and a technological innovator. He aims to use his EnMed training to design practical, data-driven tools that address clinical challenges and improve healthcare accessibility.

Outside of academics, Cyril enjoys cooking, weightlifting, and playing volleyball. He also engages regularly with NBA basketball and roots for the Dallas Mavericks.