Dr Bhavagaya Bakshi

Winner of the 2017 WISE Technology & Engineering in Health and Finalist for the Tech Innovation Award

25 September 2017

Bhavagaya’s uncle was diagnosed with cancer – but unfortunately too late. A GP she started researching early diagnosis of cancer and has created an app, bringing together the early warning signs for the 200 cancers.

GPs only have ten minute appointments – they typically see fewer than eight new patients a year with cancer, so diagnosis is extremely challenging.

The app, C the Signs, will significantly improve early diagnosis – currently 50% of patients are diagnosed at stages 3 or 4. By 2020, one in two people in the UK will be diagnosed with cancer – late diagnosis costs lives and is more expensive to treat. This is a significant issue for our health, lives and the NHS.

Bhavagaya studied medicine at King’s College, London and has a medical management degree from Imperial. The app has been endorsed by NHS East of England Cancer Alliance and is currently being trialled by hundreds of doctors.

Professional Profile

Bhavagaya is a General Practitioner and Entrepreneur with a strong foundation in healthcare innovation and technology. With over 10 years of experience within the NHS, Bhavagaya was awarded the Excellence in Leadership Award for her contribution to quality improvement and patient care by the London Deanery in 2012 and 2013.

She co-founded C the Signs, a digital health company, using artificial intelligence to transform early diagnosis of cancer. She was offered a place on to the King’s College London Entrepreneurs Accelerator Program to develop her entrepreneurial skills and was awarded Highly Commended Social Entrepreneur of 2017 by SEE Changemakers & UnLtd, and most recently won the Tech4Good People’s Award 2017, celebrating people using tech to make the world a better place.

Bhavagaya has a strong interest in health policy, working towards empowering the future generation of women leaderships. She has spent the last six-year working representing Doctors for the British Medical Association, working towards improving female representation within the workforce, retention, improving training to be more flexible for women and working to reduce the gender pay gap. Bhavagaya is passionate about giving back and using her skills and expertise to motivate and inspire students; she has taken on a new role at King’s College London Medical School teaching entrepreneurship and leadership.