Mana Moassefi, MD

What is your current imaging informaticist role?

Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Mayo Clinic Artificial Intelligence Lab.

What is your SIIM Persona?

Scientist.

Indicate what SIIM volunteer role(s) you serve in, if any?

Education committee member, Machine Learning Education subcommittee member, Liaison between these two committees.

What do you love most about imaging informatics?

I am in love with imaging and radiology because we can obtain detailed information about a person’s body without causing much harm. I can’t tell you how excited I get every time I look at high-resolution CT scans of the temporal bone and check out the cochlea. I absolutely love that. With informatics, the fusion of rapidly evolving technology and radiology transforms diagnostic techniques and personalizes patient care in ways we couldn’t have imagined just a few years ago. I’m particularly fascinated by how imaging informatics enables us to visualize data in ways that reveal new patterns that human eyes can’t see. Additionally, the potential for continuous learning and improvement in AI-driven imaging systems keeps the field dynamic and full of possibilities.

If you could choose anyone as a mentor, who would you choose?

Tessa Cook.

What one thing – either industry-related or not – you learned in the last month?

This isn’t industry-related, but as part of a team I work with, we released a podcast about imposter syndrome. After its release, and even before, during our discussions in sessions at SIIM and other conferences, many people reached out to me, either standing up in sessions, emailing, or contacting me personally, to share how much they’ve struggled with it. I’m not sure if the dynamic nature of the field of informatics contributes to this ongoing self-doubt, but I believe it’s something worth studying. For anyone experiencing it, know that you’re not alone. Some of us express it openly, while others may be better at hiding it. In my research and in the informatics-related world, I’ve come to realize how much pediatric imaging could benefit from AI-driven research. Recently, I read a paper highlighting that multimodal LLMs still have significant room for improvement in this area.

How do you define success?

believe that creating a clear vision for your personal, family, and professional path and consistently working towards it while remaining flexible is the true definition of success. Waking up every day and taking steps to get closer to that vision matters most. Personally, my professional goal is to become a reliable radiologist who contributes to the field through research, even in a small way.

What’s the last book you read or TV series you binged?

Presumed Innocent TV Series.

People love the networking at SIIM. Do you have a networking/mentor story?

After moving to the US, the first meeting I attended was a Women in Informatics session at SIIM. I had just graduated from medical school and felt a bit lost in my new job, trying to navigate the work environment in another country and the tasks I needed to do. I was searching for a role model – someone who could guide me in navigating this unfamiliar world of informatics I had just entered. In that session, I met many strong and inspiring women, some of whom I stayed in touch with and learned from. My interest in the session led me to email the organizers and express my desire to help and get involved. They graciously welcomed me as part of their team, which truly changed my path and opened the door to many initiatives in the field of Women in Informatics. I made great friends, and with their help, I shaped my future vision with the help of learning from their remarkable qualities and efforts.