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.
Centre College
Congratulations to Molly Fox who has today published a first author article titled ‘Grandma Plays Favourites: X-Chromosome Relatedness and Sex-Specific Childhood Mortality’ in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B. […]
Gates Scholars Muhammad Irfan, Ian Ralby and Mateja Peter recently spoke at the University of Cambridge’s Festival of Ideas. The three formed a panel, chaired by Michael White from the […]
We are delighted to announce the launch of the Gates Scholars’ diaries, a series of articles by Gates Scholars about their experience of various aspects of Cambridge. In the very […]
The Trust is delighted to welcome the 2009 entry of Gates Cambridge Scholars! The 88 new scholars come from 33 different countries and most have just started their course at […]
Gates scholars Ian Ralby, Mateja Peter and Muhammad Irfan will talk about their PhD research at the forthcoming Festival of Ideas. The festival is organised by the University of Cambridge […]
As part of the Gates Ambassadors program, Gates alumni have been giving information sessions about the University of Cambridge and the Gates Cambridge Scholarships. A number of the 24 Gates […]
Five events have now been planned for Michaelmas Term 2009. More information about the talks and their venues will be available shortly. Tuesday, 13 October 2009“Just listen they’re scared: […]
The External Officers on the Gates Scholars’ Council are pleased to welcome the first speaker of the Michaelmas Term 2009 to Cambridge on October 13th. Tuesday, 13 October 2009“Just listen […]
The Gates Scholars’ Alumni Association held a virtual information session on the Gates Cambridge Scholarship programme last week. The webinar, broadcast live to almost 200 people, provided key information about […]
Anyone who has studied in the US will be interested to read a recent article on the St Louis Today website by Joel Jennings (2003, PhD Geography). He writes eloquently […]