# Sema Sgaier

> Sema Sgaier is the co-founder and CEO of Surgo Health, a Washington, DC public benefit corporation that uses AI and behavioral science to decode the 'why' behind health behaviors. A trained molecular biologist and neuroscientist turned serial entrepreneur, she spent a dozen years at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation scaling HIV-prevention programs across India and Africa before co-founding Surgo Foundation, Surgo Ventures, and Surgo Health. She has authored more than 60 peer-reviewed papers, taught at Harvard and the University of Washington, writes op-eds for The New York Times, and is a trained documentary photographer.

- **Role:** Co-Founder and CEO at Surgo Health
- **Organizations:** Surgo Health, Surgo Ventures, Surgo Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (former), Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, University of Washington, United States of Care
- **From:** Tripoli, Libya
- **Nationality:** Arab American (Libyan father, Turkish mother)
- **Education:** B.Sc. in Molecular Biology and Genetics (ranked first in class), Boğaziçi University, Istanbul, M.A. in Neuroscience, Brown University, Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Biology (Developmental Genetics), New York University, Postdoctoral fellowship in human genomics, Harvard Medical School / Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Documentary photography study, International Center of Photography
- **Known for:** Co-founded three organizations under the Surgo name: Foundation, Ventures, and Health, Authored 60+ peer-reviewed publications in journals including Neuron, Nature Genetics, Science and PLOS, Co-discovered WDR62 gene mutations associated with microcephaly

## Career timeline

- **2005-2008** — Postdoctoral researcher in human genomics under Dr. Christopher A. Walsh; co-discovered WDR62 gene mutations linked to microcephaly and applied Genetic Inducible Fate Mapping to cerebellum development.
- **2008-2020** — Initiative lead / program officer at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, scaling HIV-prevention programs including voluntary medical male circumcision in Africa and the Avahan program in India.
- **2017** — Co-founded Surgo Foundation with Mala Gaonkar and Malcolm Gladwell to apply behavioral science and data to public health.
- **2020** — Co-founded Surgo Ventures; built the COVID-19 Community Vulnerability Index and the U.S. Maternal Vulnerability Index.
- **2022-2023** — Founded Surgo Health (public benefit corporation), raised a $5M seed round, and became CEO.

## Achievements

- Co-founded three organizations under the Surgo name: Foundation, Ventures, and Health
- Authored 60+ peer-reviewed publications in journals including Neuron, Nature Genetics, Science and PLOS
- Co-discovered WDR62 gene mutations associated with microcephaly
- Built the open-source U.S. COVID-19 Community Vulnerability Index and Maternal Vulnerability Index
- Selected as a Rising Talent by the Women's Forum for the Economy and Society
- Frequent op-ed contributor to The New York Times, USA Today, and U.S. News & World Report
- Adjunct/affiliate professor at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the University of Washington

## Latest updates

- **2023-03** — Surgo Health closed a $5M seed round to grow its behavioral-data SaaS platform.
- **2025-05** — Appeared on The Commonwealth Fund's 'The Dose' podcast discussing AI, trust, and the human side of health innovation.

## Links

- Website: https://surgohealth.com
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/sema-sgaier
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/SemaSgaier

---

Profile page: https://yespress.io/sema-sgaier
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-06-21