Tasnia Biva

Global Challenge: Lack of accessibility and affordability of medicine for marginalized communities

Bio:

Tasnia is a sophomore majoring in Biomolecular Science with a minor in Nutrition at NYU Tandon School of Engineering, on the pre-medical track. Born and raised in New York City, she grew up shaped by culture, community, and curiosity — experiences that deepened during a summer visit to her father's birth village in Bangladesh, where she witnessed firsthand how limited access to healthcare and medical knowledge can silently shape the lives of women and underserved communities.

These experiences influenced her passion for addressing global health disparities through medicine and research, with a focus on developing solutions that are both effective and accessible to those who need them most. Outside of academics, Tasnia enjoys weightlifting, baking, spending time with friends and family, and exploring New York City.

NYU/Professional Goals:

At Tandon, Tasnia is involved in the Vertically Integrated Project (VIP) team named Precision Medicine, where she collaborates with a multidisciplinary team of 30 to develop a microfluidic organ-on-a-chip platform, conducting research on micro-pumps, sensors, and control systems. She also serves as an Ambassador for the Hemmes Engineering & Science Society, promoting research opportunities and events across professional and social platforms. Currently, she interns as a Brain Intern at the Neurological Emergencies Outcomes lab at NYU Langone, where she conducts chart reviews for a cohort study on infection risk after acute neurologic injury, collects patient data to identify risk factors, and assists with manuscript and conference abstract preparation.

Prior to this, she gained clinical exposure as a Medical Observer at Saireen Medical Group, where she was mentored by a physician, communicated medical concepts to patients in both English and Bangla, and learned basic clinical protocols. Through these experiences, she has developed skills in data collection, research design, clinical communication, and tools including Python, CAD modeling, and the Microsoft and Google Suites. Outside of NYU, she founded HealthHub, an online initiative where she led a team to introduce healthcare careers to middle and high school students, and previously served as Director of Content Creation Research at YMA, where she taught students research ethics and reviewed their case studies. Her short-term goal is to deepen her research and clinical foundation as an undergraduate, and long-term, she hopes to become a physician-researcher in OBGYN who develops affordable, accessible healthcare solutions for women to reduce disparities in underserved communities globally.

GLASS Focus:

Tasnia was drawn to the GLASS program because of a personal experience that reshaped how she understands healthcare, access, and responsibility. After witnessing her neighbor Sheema in rural Bangladesh silently endure painful symptoms she could neither afford to treat nor fully understand, Tasnia recognized that health disparities are not isolated failures, they are the result of systemic barriers including the inability of early diagnosis, limited medical tools, unaffordable treatments, and insufficient research. She wanted a program that would help her address these issues not just clinically, but at their root.

As a GLASS Scholar, Tasnia is most looking forward to studying at NYU London, where science courses replicate NYU's home curriculum lectures and labs, allowing her to stay on track for medical school. Beyond the classroom, she is eager to explore how public health challenges manifest differently across regions and systems. The UN Sustainable Development Goals she is most committed to are Good Health and Well-Being and Reduced Inequalities. These goals reflect what she witnessed in Bangladesh and what continues to drive her academically and professionally. For Tasnia, this story of Sheema, and of countless others like her, that makes these goals feel urgent, personal, and worth dedicating a career to.