ABOUT US
We're building the
Caribbean pipeline
for surgical robotics
and AI.We're building the
Caribbean pipeline for surgical
robotics and AI.
INTRODUCING
Our CariSurg Team
Dr. Nikita Greenidge (St. Lucia)
Founder & Program Director
Postdoctoral Fellow in Surgical Robotics
University of Leeds
Justin Sooknanan (Trinidad & Tobago)
2026 Cohort Manager
CariSurg 2025 Scholar
University of the West Indies
Gerardo Loza (Mexico)
Program Advisor and Cohort Mentor
PhD Candidate in Surgical AI
University of Leeds
Farnaz Baksh (Guyana)
Program Advisor and Cohort Mentor
PhD Candidate in Computer Engineering
University of Tartu
Dr. David Paulius (St.Kitts & Nevis)
Program Advisor and Cohort Mentor
Postdoctoral Fellow in Robotics and Computer Science
Brown University
Dr. Andy Daniel (St.Lucia)
Program Advisor and Cohort Mentor
Postdoctoral Fellow in Translational Medicine
University of California, San Francisco
Our Academic Team
Participants in the Surgical Robotics Research program will be guided by at least two expert academic staff and student members from the University of the West Indies University of Leeds, tailored to your chosen project. Our supervisors are leaders in surgical robotics, AI, and biomedical engineering, providing you with cutting-edge insights and mentorship throughout your research journey.
University of the West Indies
Dr. Carl Beckford
Research Mentor
Lecturer in Computing
University of the West Indies Mona Campus
Dr. Sasha-Gay Wright
Research Mentor
Head of Programme, Biomedical Engineering
University of the West Indies Mona Campus
Dr. Sean Miller
Research Mentor
Assistant Lecturer in Computing
University of the West Indies Mona Campus
University of Leeds
Professor Pietro Valdastri
Director of STORM Lab UK
Professor in Robotics and Autonomous Systems
University of Leeds
Dr. James Avery
Research Mentor
Lecturer in Robotics and Embedded Systems
University of Leeds
Dr. Dominic Jones
Research Mentor
Lecturer in Medical Robotics
University of Leeds
Dr. James Chandler
Research Mentor
Lecturer in Surgical Robotics
University of Leeds
2026 Cohort Project Supervisors
Andrea Yanez Trujillo
Research Project Supervisor
Postgraduate Researcher
University of Leeds
Charlie DeLorey
Research Project Supervisor
Postgraduate Researcher
University of Leeds
Burak Ozdemir
Research Project Supervisor
Postgraduate Researcher
University of Leeds