Maria Alexandra Artunduaga
Personal Information
Born: Unknown
Country of Birth: Columbia
Nationality: Columbian
Ethnicity: Hispanic
Education
Pontificia Universidad Javeriana MD 2003; UC Berkeley MTM (Master of Transitional Medicine) 2018; University of Washington MPH 2016; Postgraduate work at Harvard & University of Chicago
Professional Life
Field of Study: Medicine
Institution/Corporation: SAMAY; Respira Labs
Degrees & Memberships: None found
Awards & Achievements
Awards: 2022 named to 500 Most Influential People in Latin America; 2022 Bay Area Inno Madness 1st Place; 2020 Ambassador for Columbians Abroad Medal, Columbian Congress; 2019 40 Under 40, Silicon Valley Business Journal; 2019 Athena Early Career Award, Women in Tech Initiative; 2019 Emergent Woman, Law Commission for Gender Equality Gov't of Columbia; 2018 Entrepreneur of the Year in Silicon Valley, Women in IT; 2017 Innovative Student Leader, The Clinton Foundation; 2017 Dean's Seed Fund, Haas School of Business UC Berkeley;2016 Gilead foundation global Health Scholar, UC Berkeley; 2015 Thomas Francis Jr. Global Health Fellow, University of Washington; 2009 William P. Potsic Basic Science Award, American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology
Achievements: after her grandmother Sylvia died of COPD she invented Sylvee a non-invasive, acoustic-based, low cost wearable device that monitors lung function; 2018 founded Respira Labs & SAMAY ("to breathe deeply in Quechua)
Granted permanent US residency for research contributions to genetics in 2011
in her free time enjoys flamenco dancing, singing, travelling & fostering diversity inside & outside the work place
switched from being a surgeon to being an inventor/entrepreneur after her grandmother died of COPD & she sought a cure/better treatment & diagnostics for COPD
had 1st child at age 42 after a 4-year IVF journey
sued the University of Chicago Medical Center for country of origin discrimination & lost
holds 7 patents (only 5 located)