Kathy Gould, Ph.D.
Amanda Connolly
VISP Third-Year Students
 Aditi |
I am a graduate student in the Department of Cell and Development Biology. I am from a small town, Nadaun, located in the foothills of Himalaya in India. I received my master's degree in biotechnology from the University of Calicut and a Bachelor's degree in biology from Himachal Pradesh Krishi Viswavidyalaya in India. I enrolled in the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in fall 2010. At the end of my first year, I have joined Dr. Susan Wente's lab for my Graduate work. Research in the Wente Lab focuses on nuclear transport and how it affects various cellular processes. I work on an mRNA export factor Gle1 and its role in assembly of stress granules in mammalian cells. Stress granules have important biomedical implication because they have been shown to play a role in viral infections, cancer and neurological diseases. In my spare time, I like to paint and craft, and travel to different places. I love living in Nashville. Nashville is a beautiful city with a really nice and friendly environment. Although it gets hot some times in summer, it reminds me of my home, India is way hotter. There are a lot of places to visit and hangout in my free time, after all this is the Music City. |
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 Dikshya Bastakoty |
I am currently a third-year graduate student in the Department of Pathology. I am originally from Nepal, and I received my bachelors degree in Biology from Berea College in Kentucky. Following my undergraduate training, I enrolled in Vanderbilt's Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences (IGP) in 2010. At the end of my first year, I joined the laboratory of Dr. Pampee Young, where we study the mechanisms by which adult stem cells can facilitate regeneration and repair of tissue following injury. In my spare time, I enjoy hiking, reading, and exploring Nashville with my friends.. |
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 Qiuyan Chen |
I am currently a third-year pharmacology student. I am very interested in the G protein coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling and my research focus on the conformation change during desensitization. I join both Tina Iverson's and Seva Gurevich's labs trying to crystallize rhodopsin and v-arrestin complex. I came to Vanderbilt in the fall of 2010, after completing my bachelor degree in Tongji University, Shanghai, China. Vanderbilt is a great place where you are encouraged to seek all the possibilities. The campus is pretty and people here are very friendly. I like traveling around during the free time.. |
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 Heng Dai |
I am just about to start my third year graduate study in the Department of Biological Sciences. I earned my Bachelor's degree from Capital Normal University, Beijing, China. In the fall of 2010, I enrolled in the department as a direct –admit student. After my lab rotations, I joined Dr. Douglas G. McMahon's lab which is interested in the circadian rhythms in the brain and retina of mouse and zebrafish. My current research focuses on understanding the role of DA neurons in generation of the circadian rhythm in mouse retina. In my spare time, I enjoy playing badminton, watching all kinds of movies and TV shows and traveling around. |
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 Chen Huang |
My name is Chen Huang, and I'm a Chinese graduate student in the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology (CDB). I received my Bachelor's degree from Xiamen University and my Master's Degree from the Inst. of Biophysics of Chinese Academy of Science. I joined Dr. Guoqiang Gu's lab in CDB in 2010 and thereafter I've been investigating the beta-cell differentiation during the pancreas development. In my spare time, I love playing basketball and PC games with my friends. I love the music city of Nashville, a beautiful and quiet one, and Vanderbilt is an excellent university for international students. People here are friendly and helpful, and I suggest incoming international students get involved in the life here actively and enjoy absorbing the different culture and having more friends. |
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 Udo Obodo |
My name is Udochukwu (Udo) Obodo. I am a native of Nigeria. I earned my Bachelor's degree in Biology at Macalester College. Currently, I am a third-year graduate student in the department of Biological Sciences here at Vanderbilt. I work in Dr. Kathy Friedman's lab studying the formation of new telomeres at sites of double-strand breaks in yeast. To stay focused and motivated in lab, I try to do very relaxing things that do not require much thought in my spare time. I like seeing raunchy comedies. I also like discovering new places to visit in Nashville and trying new cuisines that I haven't had before. My overall impression of Nashville is that it is a great city to live in especially for people like me who thrive in warmer weather. To international students coming to Vanderbilt, I would say come prepared to enjoy the rich experiences and opportunities that Vanderbilt and Nashville have to offer. |
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 Jing Xiong |
I am a third year graduate student in Dr. Carl Johnson's lab this year in the department of Biological Sciences working on circadian clock mechanism in cyanobacteria. I received my bachelor's degree in Biotechnology at Nanjing University back in 2008. Nashville is a beautiful and quiet place to live in and Vandy is a fantastic university as well. Wish you all good luck and have fun here! |
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