Siblings Bhavya and Lohith Chatragadda graduated from Lincoln High School in consecutive years—both as valedictorian. Their success led them to URI and to the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program. The result: both students have been accepted to Brown University’s Warren Alpert Medical School.

“My brother and I have been going to the same school since pre-school,” said Bhavya, who is 10 months older than her brother. “I’m grateful that we’ve experienced this journey together, which will continue in medical school. The odds of that happening are crazy.”

Exemplary students, the siblings each received a URI Presidential Scholarship, while Lohith received a Think Big RI Scholarship and Bhavya earned a Rhode Island Science and Engineering Fair Scholarship.

Different interests, parallel paths

“I’ve wanted to be a doctor for as long as I can remember,” said Bhavya. “When I was applying to colleges, I was drawn to microbiology in URI’s Cell and Molecular Biology program, which would allow me to explore the human body from a cellular level and gain a strong understanding of microorganisms, many of which cause human disease.”

Lohith’s interest in learning about the human body, especially the brain, stemmed from a middle school biology class. “I was fascinated with how the human body is composed of tiny machines called cells that nearly autonomously perform precise operations,” he said. “The human body is the ultimate machine that cannot be emulated by artificial engineering–at least not yet. This led to my interest in how the brain works. Our entire body, and even our perception of ourselves, is controlled by a soft mass in our heads. It seems impossible.”

Lisa Weyandt, URI professor of psychology and director of the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, is grateful to have both siblings in the program.“Bhavya and Lohith are highly successful students and great representatives of the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program,” said Weyandt. “I’m proud that they chose to pursue their neuroscience degrees at URI.”

The Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, launched in 2020, brings together a wide range of disciplines and offers three tracks enabling students to reach their professional goals: molecular neuroscience, offered through the College of the Environment and Life Sciences; clinical neuroscience, offered through the College of Health Sciences; an neuropharmacology, offered through the College of Pharmacy. Students work with an interdisciplinary neuroscience adviser and have access to faculty expertise from across five colleges at URI, as well as researchers at the George & Anne Ryan Institute for Neuroscience.

Lohith and Bhavya selected the molecular neuroscience track and also enrolled in URI’s Honors Program. The siblings also study microbiology as a second major.

“The classes in the neuroscience department are the best I’ve taken at URI,” said Lohith. “The professors make a point of connecting the material to clinical applications. That has taught me to view everything through a clinical lens, which will be important in med school. I believe that perspective shined through in my medical school interviews and helped me get accepted.”

Developing strong research skills

One of the most important aspects of the program is the opportunity to participate in hands-on research.

“We value the research component of our program,” said Weyandt. “All neuroscience students are required to complete NEU 410: Experimental Neuroscience, which helps them gain research skills and achieve personal, professional, and academic competencies. Students engage in a wide variety of research labs within the program, ranging from bench work to studies involving human participants.”

With an interest in aging and neurodegenerative diseases, Bhavya joined Assistant Professor Claudia Fallini’s laboratory as a freshman, which enabled her to study the relationship between cytoskeletal changes and neurodegenerative disease in cellular models. After shadowing a graduate student in Fallini’s lab in her first semester, Bhavya quickly developed her confidence and research skills.

“Bhavya has learned several advanced techniques, including stem cell culture and differentiation, microscopy, and image analysis, and can work mostly independently with the supervision of a graduate student,” said Fallini. “She is very dedicated to her research and not afraid to take on new challenges.”

For the past couple of semesters, Bhavya has worked on a project in Fallini’s lab in which she has explored the neuroprotective effects of cannabinoids on stroke induced human cortical neurons in a cellular model. Funded through two URI^2 Undergraduate Research Grants, Bhavya presented her research at the 2024 NEURON Conference.

“My time in the lab has been foundational to my experience at URI,” said Bhavya. “I’ve familiarized myself with common cell culture practices, cell maintenance, and other lab protocols, as well as more general skills, such as grant writing and data presentation, designing my own protocols, interpreting novel data, and sharing my results at national and international conferences.”

Lohith has been conducting research in the College of Engineering’s Wearable Biosensing Laboratory since 2022. Under the tutelage of biomedical engineering professors Kunal Mankodiya and Dhaval Solanki, and kinesiology professor Matthew Delmonico, Lohith has led an interdisciplinary team of computer science students and peers from the College of Health Sciences in the development of a smart textile-based wristband for in-home grip rehabilitation.

“We built an e-textile forearm band that can detect hand gestures to control a custom computer game,” Lohith said. “We’re developing technological solutions to medical problems, which I think is the future.”

“Lohith has a bright future in the healthcare domain,” said Solanki. “He has successfully translated research into real-world healthcare solutions. His ability to bridge technology and medicine, along with his leadership and innovation, make him well-prepared for medical school.”

Study buddies

But among the many benefits of attending URI that have helped prepare them, the siblings count the ability to lean on one another.

“Taking classes with my brother has been like having a built-in study buddy 24/7,” said Bhavya. “We’ve always been close, so it’s been great seeing him on campus and experiencing URI together.”

“Having my sister with me at URI has been a huge source of support,” added Lohith.

—Neil Nachbar