Questions?

Ania Dworzanski Graduate Program Coordinator p 585-275-5788 f 585-442-8766 ania_dworzanski@urmc.rochester.edu

Perspectives

Brandon Bader

Why the University Rochester?

I am part of the MSTP. The combination of research and medicine present an excellent opportunity.

How do you like Rochester?

I love the UR but I spent my undergrad in Colorado, which I enjoyed a lot. It took me a while to get used to it.

Why the Gan Lab?

I chose to work in the Gan lab because I felt the training in combination with the mentoring style was the best place for me.
Revathi Balasubramanian

Why the University Rochester?

I came here for my masters in Biomedical Engineering and took courses in Neuroscience. This, along with working with various neuroscience faculty gave me an insight into the research going on in the department and prompted me to apply for the Ph.D. program here.

How do you like Rochester?

I enjoy living in Rochester. It is a quiet and friendly city. Coming from India, the weather in Rochester seemed harsh at first but the environment is very friendly and accommodating.

Why Neurobiology & Anatomy?

I am interested in teaching apart from research and wanted to take the course, Human Structure and Function as a part of NBA course requirements.

Why the Gan Lab?

I chose to work in the Gan lab because my research interests included working on the visual system, specifically the retina. Currently I am studying the development of retina in mice. I also enjoy working alongside Ph.D.'s as well as M.D./Ph.D.'s.

Plans for the Future?

I want to choose a career that includes both research and teaching and hence the academic path.
Adrianne Chesser

Why Rochester?

Rochester is a great place to go to school. It provides an excellent combination of the medical school and graduate school curricula, with a truly integrative program for getting both degrees. Also, the faculty here are incredibly supportive and truly care about training students to be successful scientists. On top of that the city has pretty much every kind of activity available and is very affordable, so I can enjoy my time outside of school too!

Why the Neuroscience program?

I chose the NGP because I have pretty much always been interested in this field. To me, the brain is fascinating. I am also especially drawn to research into neurodegenerative diseases because these illnesses are so devastating and increasingly prevalent. If we can better understand how these diseases occur we can make great strides towards helping these patients and their families.

Why the Tieu Lab?

I chose Dr. Tieu's lab because of his fantastic mentorship and the research project on neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease.

What are your plans after graduation?

In the future I hope to combine basic research with clinical practice.
Danielle deCampo

Why the University Rochester?

I chose to come to Rochester for a dual M.D./Ph.D. degree, because of its strengths in clinical medicine and Neuroscience. I decided to join the Neurobiology & Anatomy department because the faculty is not only knowledgeable but very enthusiastic about my training. Faculty members are approachable and willing to help me learn and grow as a scientist.

Why Dr. Fudge's Lab?

I chose to work with my advisor, Dr. Julie Fudge because we are both interested in understanding how environmental factors such as stress can alter and dysregulate brain structures that play a role in the pathology of mental illness. She has a tremendous background and knowledge of the neuroanatomy of limbic structures and I felt like this would be a good fit to launch my research career.

Working in the Fudge lab has been a great experience. Julie is very available, and gives a lot of feedback, so I never feel like I need to track her down to get my project moving. She has also been very supportive in helping me to pursue my research goals and future career plans. We have a great lab that participates in weekly journal clubs and lab meetings. Each person's project is a little different, but learning about each student's research, really enriches my own experience.

How do you like Rochester?

Rochester is a great city for pursuing an education. Living here is very affordable and there are plenty of things to do year round, without the hassle of living in a big city. What I like the most about Rochester is the changing seasons. It's fun to do different activities with the seasons whether it's enjoying a BBQ grill outside, or ice skating in the winter. Being involved in new activities makes grad school go by fast!
Veena Ganeshan

Why the University Rochester?

I like the fact that the NGP is interdisciplinary. There is a large number of faculty with various interests involved in the program, and Rochester is just the right size for me!

Why the Schor Lab?

Dr. Nina Schor is a wonderful person to work for. She gave me the freedom to choose a project and helps me not to get distracted. She is an excellent mentor.

Plans for the Future?

There are many options out there. I can do pure academic research or work for industry on drug delivery and discovery. I will be considering both options when the times come.
Simantini Ghosh

Why the University Rochester?

I liked the graduate program in Neuroscience at the URMC as many faculty members research interests coincide with my own. I always wanted to work with Alzheimer's disease, and there were a number of faculty members affiliated with the program working on different aspects of AD. I thought it would be an excellent place to be a part of the research being done.

I really liked the rotation system during the first year in the Program, which is great for new students to have a feel of the lab before they join it. I also love staying in Rochester and its attractions, film festivals and eclectic restaurants.

Why the O'Banion & Olschowka Labs?

I chose Drs. Olschowka and O'Banion's lab because it fits my research interest. I could work on cellular and molecular neuroscience, and I could do both Alzheimer's disease and neuroinflammation, so it was just perfect. Besides it is a fun lab to work in, we do a lot of group activities outside work.

Plans for the Future?

I would like to remain in academia and the next goal is to find a post doctoral position.
Susanne Pritchard

How do you like Rochester?

I have really enjoyed my time in Rochester. Having grown up in a rural area in the foothills of the Adirondacks, I enjoy the fact that Rochester is dominated by quaint suburbs with many lakes, rivers, hiking trails nearby. At the same time, there is a decent amount to do in the city. We've got some great theaters, sports, and there's no scarcity of good food and drink. Add to that the endless spring-summertime festivals and a thousand Finger Lakes wineries in your backyard... I'd say I'm happy here.

Why the University of Rochester?

I decided to study at the UR because of the collaborative atmosphere. Since the inception of my thesis work in Dr. Gail Johnson's lab, I have collaborated with Dr. Nerhke and learned techniques/used equipment from Dr. Olschowka, Dr. O'Banion, and Dr. Bowers. It's quite apparent that each researcher is interested in aiding in the success of their fellow researchers. If there's a new area or technique you'd like to get into, there's always someone right around the corner willing to help you out.

Why the Johnson-Voll lab?

Dr. Johnson-Voll is an excellent mentor and is ceaselessly excited about science. This stands to reason since she has a lot of interesting research on stroke, Huntington's disease, and Alzheimer's disease happening in her lab. My thesis focuses on the protein, tau, and its role in mitochondrial dysfunction caused by amyloid beta in Alzheimer's disease.
Phillip Rappold

Why the University of Rochester?

I chose the UR because it has the best clinical neurology program in the region.

Why the Neuroscience program?

Neuroscience offers flexibility. One can structure his, or her, own learning plan that best fits their interests. The graduate school offers a large number of labs in neuroscience, great learning environment, a lot of resources, and collaboration.

Plans for the Future?

I am planning on getting into clinical neurology or neurosurgery.
Fatima Rivera-Escalera

Why Rochester?

I decided to apply to the University of Rochester after spending a year in the Post-baccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP). I was interested in studying the role of neuroinflammation in the Alzheimer's disease and Dr. Kerry O'Banion's lab presented a good fit for me. Although, I must say, it took me some time to get used to Rochester weather. Coming from Puerto Rico, long and snowy winters were novelty for me. Now, on the other hand, it is too hot for me when I go back home.
Danny Rogers

Why the University of Rochester?

I came to Rochester for the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) to further my career in academic medicine. I chose to pursue a Ph.D. in Neurobiology and Anatomy (NBA) because the program offered the most flexibility. The NBA program requirements are partially fulfilled by my medical education, which gave me extra time to concentrate on neuroblastoma research in Dr. Nina Schor's lab.

How do you like Rochester?

In comparison to other cities, Rochester is a very affordable place to live. If you have a family, not only can you live here comfortably, but there are also hundreds of parks and attractions nearby.
Michele Saul

Why Rochester?

The U of R offers various research options and a collaborative atmosphere. I also loved the feel and welcoming attitude of everyone. The city itself also offers many activities throughout all seasons, especially when the weather is warm. I like learning about all of Rochester's history and also enjoy walking in Highland Park and enjoying the Lilac Festival and trying different wine trails in the Finger Lakes Region.

Why Dr. Fudge's Lab?

I chose Dr. Fudge's lab because I have always been interested in the biological workings of psychological disorders. I've also gotten the chance to work with Dr. Dana Helmreich and examine the connections between anatomy and behavior. I like that fact the lab is small and tight, and I can get a lot of attention and support.
Grayson Sipe

Why Rochester?

I was interested in studying at Rochester because there was a large group of visual neuroscience faculty doing interesting research. During my interviews, I felt they genuinely cared about my goals and interests. Being here for a year, this has held true and the atmosphere is friendly and supportive. There is lots of cross-talk and collaboration. As for the city of Rochester, it is a good mid-sized city with the country not far away.

What are your plans after graduation?

After graduating, I plan to secure a position as a post-doc and eventually teach and do research at an institution that requires excellence in both.
Nathan Smith

Why the University of Rochester?

I initially came to study medicine at the UR. Neuroscience allows me to combine neuroscience and medicine. I was interested in neurophysiology and Dr. Maiken Nedergaard made it available. My interest in astrocytes led me to her lab.

What are your plans after graduation?

Once I complete my Ph.D. degree I plan on going back to medicine studying neurology or neurosurgery.

How do you like Rochester?

Rochester is a great city and it is pretty much close to everything. The summers are beautiful and overall it is just a great city. I am glad I chose to come to Rochester, NY.
Wei Sun

Why Rochester?

I like Rochester because it is a very clean city and it is not too busy or too quiet. I think it is a good place to do research.

Why the Neuroscience program?

The neuroscience program at University of Rochester has professors working at multiple fields of neuroscience, and some of them are quite good studying neurological diseases, neural stem cells and genetics, which are of my particular interest. It is very beneficial for graduate students to communicate with researchers in various fields.

Why the Nedergaard Lab?

Astrocytes are a very interesting cell type and are not as widely studied as neurons. Dr. Nedergaard has so many fantastic ideas on astrocytes, so I decided to come to her lab to study astrocytes.
Michael Wu

Why the University Rochester?

I came to Rochester for the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) because of the enthusiasm of the students I met while interviewing. My exposure to neurological diseases during medical school convinced me to join NBA to pursue research in neuroscience. Living in Rochester is great because it is very affordable and is a small city that is easy to navigate yet has plenty to do.

Why the O'Banion & Olschowka Labs?

I really enjoyed the environment and camaraderie of the O'Banion & Olschowka labs during my rotation as well as the project I was working on. I felt that researching neuroinflammatory diseases was easy to relate to given my previous training and translatable to patients in the clinic.