Indian-American physician to run for Congressional bid in 2018 elections

An Indian-American physician from Arizona said she will run for the US House of Representatives in the 2018 general elections.

Hiral Tipirneni, an emergency room physician and cancer research advocate, said she believes in solving problems and improving lives.

She would run from the Arizona's eighth Congressional District, which is one of five primarily urban districts centered around Phoenix.

She is running on a Democratic ticket.

Currently held by Congressman Trent Franks of the Republican Party, the eighth Congressional District has less than 2.8 per cent Asians and has a population of more than 87 per cent whites.

"I'm not a career politician...But I've successfully worked with people from all walks of life, and I promise to bring that team-oriented approach to working with Republicans and Democrats alike to get the results we need," she said in a statement.

Tipirneni came to the US at the age of three with her family. She has served as chief resident of the University of Michigan's Emergency Medicine programme.

She leads teams of researchers, clinicians, and patient advocates in the fight to treat and cure breast cancer, prostate cancer, and childhood leukaemia.