2008 First Place
The Novel Role of the GluClα; Ion Channel and Diazepam Binding Genes in Alcohol Addiction
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Kapil Vishveshwar Ramachandran
It was a launching point. I knew that I loved research, but it gave me the the confidence that I was actually good at it and that maybe I was good enough to make a career of it! I think the absolute highlight was giving a talk to then-NIH Director Zerhouni and NIDA Director Volkow. It was an unforgettable experience.
About the Project:
Kapil determined that when a specific protein is deleted in fruit flies, the flies may lose their tolerance to alcohol, offering a strong indication that the protein may play a role in addiction.
Where Are They Now?
2019: After completing his PhD, Kapil now runs his own neurobiology lab at Harvard as an independent Harvard Junior Fellow.
Graduate School: Ph.D., Johns Hopkins
- Biological Chemistry and Neuroscience
Undergraduate School: Duke University
- Studied the intersection of ion channels and developmental biology.