News
Benjamin Cocanougher
- Alumni
- United States
- 2016 PhD Zoology
- St Catharine's College
I grew up catching praying mantises and damselflies in rural Kentucky. As an undergraduate at Centre College, I majored in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; I spent my summers taking care of sick children at the Center for Courageous Kids and doing research in organic chemistry and neuroscience. I matriculated directly to the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and completed my first three years of medical school. I then moved to Janelia Research Campus as a HHMI Medical Research Fellow; there I studied the neural and genetic bases of behavior. As a PhD student in Zoology, I will study adaptive behavior. All animals integrate information about past experience into future decisions; this is the basis of learning and memory. I am proposing to write a specific memory and read the memory trace in the brain. I will use the fruit fly as a model organism. By understanding mechanisms of memory storage, we can begin to investigate changes in memory formation in disease; this may allow us to develop rational therapies for disorders of memory formation, including autism and Alzheimer’s disease. After completing my PhD, I will return to finish my last year of medical school and pursue a career as a child neurologist and neuroscientist, using my lab to better understand the patients I see in clinic.
Previous Education
Centre College
- Share
Latest News
The rule of law
When she was a child Lindsey Murray said she wanted to be a police officer. Instead she has ended up as a top forensic scientist working in an international war […]
Understanding diabetes and heart disease in Africa
Prospective observational studies are needed to understand the growing burden of cardiovascular disease and diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa, according to a study led by a Gates Cambridge Scholar. The study, […]
Understanding diabetes and heart disease in Africa
Prospective observational studies are needed to understand the growing burden of cardiovascular disease and diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa, according to a study led by a Gates Cambridge Scholar. The study, […]
International relations through education
Greg Nance [2011] has been named one of the 99 most influential foreign policy leaders under 33 by the Diplomatic Courier and Young Professionals in Foreign Policy, but his citation […]
Healthcare at the touch of a finger
Three Gates Cambridge Scholars are crowdsourcing for a device which will enable community healthworkers in developing countries to access patient records through the touch of a finger. SimPrints is a […]
Communicating science
A Gates Cambridge alumnus has won a prestigious Australian award for his research on renewable energy and for exceptional initiative in science communication. Niraj [Nij] Lal [2008], who did a […]
Emerging leaders summit in Delhi
Renowned environment expert Dr Ashok Khosla will join distinguished academics and activists from India and the UK to discuss new approaches to global challenges at an emerging leadership summit in […]
Better hygiene could increase Alzheimer’s risk
People living in industrialised countries may be more likely to develop Alzheimer’s due to greatly reduced contact with bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms – which can lead to problems with […]
International peacebuilder
International peacebuilding efforts have tended to overlook indigenous knowledge and understanding about conflict resolution, says Christina Woolner. She hopes her MPhil in Social Anthropology, where she will focus on Somalia, […]
