What is your concentration and how did you land in that course of study? Did you always know you wanted to be in this field?
I'm concentrating in Neuroscience in the Mind, Brain, and Behavior track. Since I was young, I always knew I wanted to study medicine and science, so I came into Harvard looking for a STEM field to concentrate in. Towards the end of high school and the beginning of college, I began developing an intellectual interest in the philosophy of mind, so the MBB track was the perfect venue for me to investigate this, in addition to my secondary in Philosophy in the Contemporary Metaphysics and Epistemology track.
 
Can you describe your thesis research and how you decided on it?
My thesis research will be investigating de novo fear circuitries in mice models of human autism. The lab I will be working at is currently doing great research on mouse models of human autism and aggression, and offered me a great opportunity to study the direct link between the molecular underpinnings of neurobiology and observable outcomes in behavior. Overall, this would be a great potential step forwards towards the goal of improving the lives of those with autism.
 
Are you working independently or as part of a team?
I will be working independently under the supervision of PhD's at the lab. They will be guiding me through a lot of the technical aspects of experimentation, in addition to training me in the general methods of scientific exploration.
 
What kinds of experiments will you run or what kinds of information are you hoping to learn from the research?
Currently, we are planning to optogenetically manipulate known circuits within the mouse brain to learn more about the functional circuitries underlying fear behavior. What this means is that we will be activating and deactivating these circuitries on demand, so that we can eventually use the knowledge to hopefully create a new mouse model to study fear in autism.
 
How can the results from your research be applied on a larger scale or outside of a lab/research environment?
Although this is not clinical research, the development of better models of behaviors in mice will hopefully elucidate therapeutic targets for certain behaviors in humans, so that the medical community can go on to develop therapeutic interventions in the future.
 
Is this kind of work something you want to continue post-grad? How will this project impact your future career path?
While I currently intend to practice as a surgeon in the future, I am certainly exploring career paths that involve research to further advance medical knowledge as a whole. This project will offer me invaluable experience that will allow me to evaluate whether wet-lab research is something I am passionate about and want to continue pursuing in the future.
 
Are there any specific resources Harvard had that helped you be successful in setting up your thesis work?
Harvard is fantastic in exposing its students to research opportunities. This exposure comes in the form of research fairs, online catalogs of affiliated labs, and seminars held by labs with open spots. I found Dr. Anderson's lab through the Harvard Undergraduate Research Opportunities Fair this past year and we set up an email correspondence that led me to this planned thesis.
 
Anything else you'd like to share about your work?
In addition to learning about the neuroscience behind behaviors, I am also passionate about exploring the philosophical conceptions of consciousness and the human mind in general. Although I will certainly have to work out logistical requirements with the department, I hope to incorporate broader-scale discussions regarding the human mind through the neuroscientific lens.