EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT
National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, Karnataka
Jan, 2024 – Present
PhD in Psychiatry
Guide: Dr John P John
National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, Karnataka
Jan, 2024 – Present
Junior Research Fellow (Neuroimaging)
Project: India ENIGMA Initiative for Global Aging and Mental Health, a collaborative initiative between NIMHANS and University of Southern California, USA. Funding: NIH-NIA, USA
PSGR Krishnammal College for Women , Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
2020 – 2022
MSc Zoology (81.75%)
Thesis: “Designing of Novel Analogues of Prostaglandins for the Treatment of Glaucoma”
Mount Carmel College, Autonomous, Bangalore, Karnataka
2017 – 2020
BSc Chemistry, Botany, and Zoology (84.9%)
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, Karnataka
Jan 2023 - Present
Position: Junior Research Fellow in Neuroimaging
Project: India ENIGMA Initiative for Global Aging and Mental Health, a collaborative initiative between NIMHANS and University of Southern California, USA. Funding: NIH-NIA, USA.
•Assisting in setting up the MRI protocol for the purposes of the study under the supervision of the Post-Doctoral Fellow and the Clinician Scientist as well as the MPIs.
•Acquiring MRIs for all the study participants, ensuring data back-up, archiving and transfer, running study-specific QC protocols as well as analysis of multimodal MRI data in collaboration with USC under the supervision of NIMHANS MPIs.
PSGR Krishnammal College for Women, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
Nov, 2021 – May, 2022
Project: Designing of Novel Analogues of Prostaglandins for the Treatment of Glaucoma
•Pre-existing commonly used prostaglandin analogues successful in the treatment of glaucoma were identified and their binding affinities were assessed and compared to select lead compounds using molecular docking.
•Lead optimization was done to improve the chosen analogue using tools and software of computer aided drug design (CADD) to develop a structure of a provisional novel analogue.
•Databases and Software: Therapeutic Target Database, Protein Data Bank, UniProt, PubChem, Biovia Discovery, MarvinSketch, PyMol, PyRx
Mount Carmel College, Autonomous, Bangalore, India
2018 – 2020
Project: The Spider Diversity Project
•Photographed, taxonomically identified, and catalogued the diversity of spiders in and around the campus of Mount Carmel College, Autonomous, in Vasanth Nagar, Bangalore.
National Center for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Bangalore, India
April – May, 2018
Project: Drosophila melanogaster as a modern teaching tool
•Designed experiments to reinvent Drosophila melanogaster as a modern teaching tool to instigate scientific spirit and introduce the transdisciplinary nature of research in schools.
•Worked on Drosophila melanogaster genetics, breeding, larval brain dissections, photo-taxis, and eye pigment chromatography.
SKILLS AND INTERESTS
•Communication Skills: Proficient in English. Conversational Tamil, Hindi, and Kannada.
•Technological Skills: MS Office, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Premier Pro, Basic Tools and Softwares of Computer Aided Drug Design
•Research Interests: Neuroimaging, Neurobiology, Developmental Biology, Immunology, and Genetics
ACCOLADES
“Prime Minister’s Young, Unique, and Versatile Authors (PM-YUVA) Mentorship”
2022 – 2023
Awarded by: National Book Trust, Govt. of India
•Selected as one of the 75 young authors, under the age of 30, among 16000 entries submitted in 22 official Indian languages through a nationwide contest conducted by the National Book Trust, Govt. of India.
•Trained, mentored, and commissioned to write a historical fiction novel in the English language as part of India’s 75th Independence Year “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav” celebrations, titled “The Least in the Company” which was launched at the World Book Fair 2023, New Delhi.
“Prof S.V Parameshwara Bhatta & Smt N. Jayalakshmi Cash Prize for securing the highest marks in the Chemistry, Botany, and Zoology Combination for all three years”
2017 – 2020
Awarded by: Mount Carmel College, Autonomous, Bangalore.
COURSES/TRAINING COMPLETED
•NPTEL Online Certification in Immunology
SWAYAM MOOC, IIT Kharagpur July – Oct, 2021
Scored 83% and finished in the top 5% of a class of 524 students
•Summer Training Programme in Biological Sciences (STPIB – 2021)
The Academy of Sciences, Chennai and Departments of Biotechnology and Botany, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore. July – Aug 2021
•Lecture Series in Advanced Biology – Diseases, Pandemics and Vaccines
National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore July –Aug 2021
•Online 2D Animation Internship for Scientific Illustration
Alpha6 Institute of Multimedia, Coimbatore Aug – Oct 2021
•Secured A+ Grade in the International Diploma Course Study in Astrobiology
Indian Astrobiological Research Foundation, Mumbai Apr – Oct, 2020
•Certificate Course in Basic Ornithology and Research Methodology
IISER Tirupati, NCBS, NCF Bangalore, SACON Coimbatore Dec 2019
•Credit Course in Herpetology – The Fascinating World of Reptiles
Mount Carmel College, Autonomous, Bangalore June – Mar 2019
•Lecture Series in Advanced Biology – Molecules and Memory
National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore Jan – Mar 2019
•One Year Course of Research Education Advancement Programme (BIOREAP)
Bangalore Association for Science Education (BASE) and IISc 2017 – 2018
•Participated in the Faculty Training Programme on Drosophila melanogaster
Mount Carmel College, and National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore March 2018
•INSPIRE Internship Science Camp
Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India 2016
LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE
Secretary of Science Association 2019 – 2020
Mount Carmel College, Autonomous, Bangalore
Spearheaded 16 associations under the Science Association and organized events throughout the year to promote scientific temper.
Core Team Head, Cul-Ah! 2018
Mount Carmel College, Autonomous, Bangalore
Planned and executed the financial and administrative functions of the Registrations sector by coordinating over 100 volunteers for the annual national intercollegiate fest, Cul-Ah! 2018.
VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES
•Participated in the “Walk Against Drug Abuse” 2018
Team Aarohan & the Bangalore City Police
•Taught Computer Science to underprivileged children at U&I (NGO)
2017 – 2018
•Participated in a video conference with Shri Piyush Goyal, Hon’ble Minister of State (IC) for Coal, Power and New and Renewable Energy, Govt. of India, on National Energy Conservation Day 2016
Karnataka Renewable Energy Department Limited (KREDL)
AARTHI GANAPATHY 