Undertaking independent research is a goal for many students. Undergraduate students at the INBT can do this with the help of the Provost’s Undergraduate Research Award (PURA). Provost Joseph Cooper (1991-1995) established the PURA program in 1993 with a generous endowment by the Hodson Trust.  The award allows students to work on an independent project over the academic year, with the assistance of a Johns Hopkins mentor, to conceive, design, and execute the project. This encourages students to be creative and put their knowledge and skills into practice.

The INBT undergraduate recipient and their faculty mentor includes:

Ikshu Pandey
Mentors: Peter Searson and Tracy Chung
Field of Study: Materials Science & Engineering and Neuroscience

“At the Searson lab, I am working with my mentor Tracy Chung to study how mutations associated with Alzheimer’s disease drive functional changes to the blood brain barrier. I hypothesize that such functional changes contribute to the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. It is my hope that my research can help uncover the mechanisms of disease propagation and contribute to finding a cure,” Pandey said. “I’m really grateful to have mentors that allow me to engage in research that integrates my diverse interests in materials science and neuroscience! I did not think that such a niche overlap would be possible, and am so glad to have the funding and encouragement to conduct work that is foundational for my future career.”