Vanderbilt International Scholar Program
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VISP First-Year Students


Sandhya Bangaru
Sandhya Bangaru		 My name is Sandhya, first year IGP student originally from chennai, India. I majored in biotechnology and pursued my masters at NYU in industrial biotech. I worked in new york at IAVI for 3 years designing and developing HIV vaccine. I got admitted in Vanderbilt IGP program as a part of VISP. VISP has been a great source of assistance in helping us settle down and also provide guidance in fulfilling all requirements for international students.

My area of interest is in immunology and virology. There is a lot of interesting research happening at Vanderbilt in various fields. I am looking forward to doing my rotations and choosing  the most suitable lab for me.
Kamakoti Bhat
Kamakoti Bhat		 Hi, my name is Kamakoti Bhat, but I just go by Kami. I am from chennai, India. I have a bachelor's degree in Pharmaceutical Biotechnlogy from AC tech, Anna University- Guindy campus. Near the end of my under-graduation, I applied to several colleges in the US and I chose Vanderbilt because I really liked the IGP program. It is a very broad program and it gives me the freedom to really look at each lab individually and the flexibility to choose which department to affiliate to.

I am primarily interested in Molecular genetics, but I want to use genetics to answer bigger questions such as cancer or diabetes. I am really looking forward to exploring the different labs and choosing the right lab for me.

My hobbies include traveling, and reading  
Pedro Garcia
Pedro Garcia		 Hi, I am Pedro M. Garcia Barrantes. I am from Costa Rica. I received a Pharm. D. degree and a M. Sc. in Chemistry from the University of Costa Rica. I am currently enrolled in the CPB Admissions program and I am interested in Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Discovery and Design.

After my arrival in the US, it has surprised me how nice people from Nashville are; even strangers stop to say hi. Also, the university facilities are outstanding with beautiful surroundings and lots of nature. This year, I look forward to improving my skills in laboratory practice, making new friends and embracing the experience of graduate school at Vanderbilt and Nashville.
Siwei He
Siwei He

My name is Siwei He, and I came from Jiangxi Province, China. I got my bachelor's degree in medicine from Fudan University in July 2012 before I enrolled in the IGP program at Vanderbilt this August. My undergraduate research primary focused on developmental neuroscience, so I am planning to further explore my interest in neuroscience f. However, I would not mind exploring all the other aspects where exciting researches have been taken place  at Vanderbilt.

Vanderbilt is such a beautiful university  that I fell in love with it the first day I got here. All the people in the VISP program are really nice and helpful. Nashville is also a great place to live in, with so many exciting things going on everyday. Music is one thing you don't want to miss in Nashville. I have been enjoying the experience of listening to all kinds of music with friends after a whole week's work. I believe the days to come will be even more exciting and I am planning to explore more about the city and the US in the next five years!
 
Nalin Leelatian
Nalin Leelatian		 My name is Nalin Leelatian. I am originally from Thailand and I am currently enrolling Vanderbilt as a graduate student in IGP and as a VISP scholar. I previously earned a medical degree from Siriraj Hospital Mahidol University in Bangkok, Thailand, and have been recently certified a Clinical Pathologist from the same institute. My research interest is based upon pathways of cancer development, cancer heterogeneity, novel cancer therapeutics and translational/personalized medicine.

I am thankful that I am part of Vanderbilt, one of the best institutes in the world! The level of informality between faculty and the students somehow plays a very important part in this wonderful academic environment. The support we get from the faculty, friends and fellow international students are incomparable. Also, Nashville is a beautiful and peaceful city and the hospitality of its people is amazing. I really look forward to the exciting academic adventure and endless scientific discoveries that lie ahead!
Rose Nyawira Njoroge
Rose Nyawira Njoroge		 Hi, my name is Rose and I come from Kenya. I grew up in a small town about 18 kilometers from Nairobi. I attended school in Kenya up to undergraduate level where I graduated with a BSc from Jomo Kenyatta University (JKUAT) in Food Science. I then proceeded to Seoul National University in South Korea for an MSc, my research focus was on thermostable glucoamylases and commercial starch processing.

I then moved to the Genetics Department at the University of Palermo in Italy where we were investigating the use of Arthrobacter Spp in the degradation of cholorobenzoates which are environmental pollutants. After going back to Kenya I got a research position with the US-Army Medical Research Unit- Kenya or the Walter Reed Project which was involved in disease surveillance and local capacity building.

I joined the IGP program here at Vanderbilt through a VISP scholarship starting in August this year. After the orientations offered by the various departments, I am really biased towards cancer biology research. I look forward to my lab rotations so I can get better acquainted with the research tools and the research environment. I love what I have seen of Vanderbilt and especially the VISP program which offers tremendous support to its scholars. I also find the city of Nashville to be extremely student friendly.
Dingding Shen
Dingding Shen		 Hi, I am Dingding Shen and I come from Nantong, China. I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Clinical Medicine from Nantong University. Now I am enrolled in IGP program. There is often a disconnection between basic research and clinical practice. Since I have a clinical background, I hope to do translational research or more clinical-oriented research to help relate basic research to disease states. I look forward to exploring my interests in different research areas during the lab rotations in this next year and finding the most suitable area for me.

What surprised me the most since my arrival in Vanderbilt is its collaborative and vibrant research environment. And I believe the broad spectrum of research expertise in IGP will provide me a unique environment to pursue my graduate education.

Ebrahim Tahaei
Ebrahim Tahaei
 My name is Ebrahim Tahaei and I am from Tehran, Iran.  I have a Bachelor’s degree in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Tehran, and a Masters degree in Medical Virology from the Tehran University of Medical Sciences.  I am a first year student in IGP at Vanderbilt. I am interested in stem cell biology and its implications in therapeutic procedures.

I am mostly surprised by how close animals are living to homes in Nashville. I am looking forward to exploring Nashville and learning new concepts of biology in a great academic environment of Nashville.
Chenjie Zeng
Chenjie Zeng		 My name is Chenjie Zeng. I am from China. I am currently enrolled in Epidemiology PhD program. I got my Bachelor's degree from Tsinghua University, China and my MPH degree from Emory University. My research interests are in cancer etiology and primary prevention.

Nashville is a small but nice city with great music and historical buildings. I also like the trees, rivers and hills around the city. I am very much impressed by the rich holdings of the libraries of Vanderbilt University.

I am looking forwards to working with the top leaders in the field of cancer epidemiology and meeting new friends at Vanderbilt.

 
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