Student Profile in Neurodevelopment
Shayal Vashisth
Mentor: Maria Chahrour, Ph.D.
Undergraduate Degree: Neuroscience
Undergraduate Institution: Duke University
Hometown: Dallas, TX
Awards/Fellowships: Academic Excellence Award (UTSW, 2022) NRSA F31 Predoctoral Fellowship (NICHD, 2022) Society for Neuroscience Trainee Professional Development Award (SfN, 2021) Mechanisms of Disease and Translational Science T32 Training Program (NIH, 2019) Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience Student Travel Award (FUN, 2018) Bass Connections Follow-on Student Research Funding (Duke, 2018) Bass Connections Fellowship (Duke, 2017) Dean's Summer Research Fellowship (Duke, 2017)
How did you become interested in science and/or research?
Science was always one of my favorite subjects, but the image of 'research' as a career was murky until I started college. Neuroscience piqued my interest as the intersection between psychology and biology, two subjects I had enjoyed in high school. I was enjoying classes, but I wanted more hands-on knowledge, so I sought out a position as an undergraduate research assistant. For four years, I worked in a lab studying the interaction of hormones and neurodegeneration, diving into what the world of research looked like, from experimental procedures to data analysis to manuscript preparation. Under the guidance of outstanding mentors, I developed a passion for neuroscience research which ultimately led me to pursuing a doctoral degree.
Please describe your research.
In my work, I study the role of an E3 ubiquitin ligase in neurodevelopment, specifically in the context of neurodevelopmental disorders like autism spectrum disorder. These E3 ubiquitin ligases are important for maintaining regular protein turnover and can be involved in a variety of cellular processes, making it a really interesting target to focus on. I utilize genetic knockout mouse models to study the behaviors this ligase plays a role in and parse out the cellular and molecular effects of the gene knockout. By understanding which pathways are disrupted by the loss of this ligase, we can better understand neurodevelopmental processes and, ultimately, point us towards mechanistic targets for therapeutics.
Why did you choose UT Southwestern?
I initially chose to join UT Southwestern because even during interviews, I felt like I would be joining a welcoming and collaborative environment where I could pursue a scientific question with the support of a wide community and tons of resources. After four years in the same lab as an undergraduate, I was drawn to the first-year rotations, where I could explore different scientific fields before I settled into my thesis project. The Mechanisms of Disease and Translational Sciences program was also interesting to me, as I have always been interested in how bench science manifests in the clinical setting. I was excited by the opportunities presented by UTSW's renowned researchers and core facilities. In particular, the Neuroscience Department was a smaller, tight-knit community in which students easily sought advice from each other as well as other PIs. To me, UTSW's neuroscience program was the ideal place for me to grow as a scientist/researcher as well as build skills towards my future career.
In your opinion, what makes the Neuroscience Graduate Program one of the top in the country?
The umbrella program of biomedical sciences gives students in all fields the opportunity to learn core scientific concepts, and the subsequent program-specific classes make it possible to dive deep into a chosen field. For neuroscience, we have access to not only world-renowned scientists, but also excellent core facilities encompassing so many different techniques. I've had the chance to learn a variety of techniques, ranging from cell culture to electrophysiology to confocal microscopy. With the way coursework is structured, the curriculum covered the core concepts early, then prioritized specialized courses as well as provided students experience with grant writing, which not only prepared us for qualifying exams, but also for any future grant writing. Overall, the neuroscience program helps us develop not only our scientific skills, but also broader skills that can be applied to our career goals.
– Shayal Vashisth, Neuroscience Graduate Program
