Rhode Island
Next Stop: Medical School
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
Rhode Island
Man killed in RI shooting; suspect involved in Mass. car crash that killed 2 others
A man has died after a shooting in Cranston, Rhode Island, and investigators say a suspect was later involved in a car crash in Swansea, Massachusetts, that killed two other people.
The shooting victim was found Thursday on Legion Way, shot multiple times in the chest, Cranston police told NBC affiliate WJAR-TV. He was taken to Rhode Island Hospital where he later died. His name has not been released.
The suspect initially fled on foot, setting off a shelter-in-place order while investigators searched the area.
Police said Friday that investigators identified a suspect vehicle, which was later spotted by Massachusetts State Police. A trooper followed the car down Route 6 and Interstate 195, but stopped when it crossed back into Rhode Island. The car was later involved in a crash on Route 136 in Swansea, Mass.
Swansea police say that crash on Route 136 (James Reynolds Road) resulted in the deaths of two other people.
According to the Swansea Police Department, two officers saw a white Infinity G37 speed past them around 12:18 a.m. Friday on Route 6, otherwise known as Grand Army of the Republic Highway. Moments later, officers observed that the vehicle had crashed into the side of a blue Subaru Ascent that had been traveling southbound on Route 136.
Both vehicles sustained catastrophic damage, police said.
The vehicle that was struck was fully engulfed in flames. First responders and bystanders tried to extinguish the fire, but both occupants — a man and a woman — were pronounced dead at the scene, police said. Their names have not been released.
The 28-year-old Infinity driver, who struck the victims’ Subaru, was taken to Rhode Island Hospital with serious injuries and later into custody by Cranston Police. They have not been publicly identified at this time.
Swansea police said they are aware that the Infinity was the subject of a police pursuit, and know the driver was wanted in connection to the Rhode Island homicide investigation. While Swansea police had been alerted to be on the lookout for the suspect’s vehicle, however, they say they were not involved in the pursuit and were not pursuing the vehicle at the time of the deadly crash.
The crash in Swansea is under investigation by Massachusetts authorities, including state police and the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office. Meanwhile, Cranston police said they would give an update on their investigation around 1 p.m.
Rhode Island
RI House speaker unveils housing bills for 2026. What to know
House Speaker Shekarchi unveils 2026 RI housing legislative package
House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi’s nine-bill package for 2026 seeks to cut red tape and relax rules on parking, dividing lots and staircases.
House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi is once again taking aim at the regulations he says are stifling new homebuilding.
The Warwick Democrat unveiled his sixth annual suite of housing legislation on Thursday, Feb. 26, a few weeks after announcing he would not be running for governor this year.
“We are still trying to play catch-up for all the years that Rhode Island was dead last in the country for new housing starts,” Shekarchi said. “While Rhode Island remains a relatively affordable option for people moving here from other states, our own residents are too often priced out of the neighborhoods they grew up in.”
The legislative text of the nine-bill housing package, and with it the specifics of how it would work, were not available for Thursday’s news conference.
But highlights of the package, according to summaries, include:
- Infill housing. Allow property owners to divide lots in single-family zoning districts, creating multiple dwellings instead of one, provided they have water and sewer service.
- Parking maximums. Put new limits on how much off-street parking communities require for new apartment buildings.
- Homeless Bill of Rights. Expand the state’s Homeless Bill of Rights to require 15-day notice to the occupants of encampments before local authorities clear them.
- Emergency shelters. Let communities build temporary shelters, such as the ECHO Village Pallet shelter in Providence, during a state of emergency.
- Stairs. Legalize the construction of four-story apartment buildings with a single staircase.
- Affordable housing taxes. Overhaul the tax system for income-restricted housing covered by the state’s “8 Law.”
Is land-use reform working?
Since Shekarchi was elected speaker in 2021, the General Assembly has passed dozens of bills he backed that tweaked state land-use statutes or streamlined the process for building.
How successful this approach has been is subject to debate.
Many local elected officials wary of development in their communities continue to rail against efforts to erode their power over construction.
Others in the growing Yes In My Back Yard movement see Rhode Island’s piecemeal approach as inadequate in comparison with the scale of the affordability problem and what other states are doing.
As evidence that his changes are making a difference, Shekarchi said Rhode Island saw a 70% increase in building permits in 2023 and a more modest increase in 2024. (Statistics for last year were not immediately available.)
Gov. Dan McKee’s 2030 plan calls for 15,000 new housing units built by that year.
Democratic primary challenger Helena Foulkes is slated to roll out her housing plan on Monday.
It is expected to include a millionaires tax to fund affordable housing, a revolving fund and target of 20,000 new homes.
What would the new laws do?
Letting property owners put multiple homes on a plot of land is one of the most direct ways that lawmakers can encourage the construction of more homes, but it is also one of the most controversial.
That’s especially true in areas zoned for large lots and single-family homes.
How far the new bill allowing lots to be subdivided in single-family zones goes is unclear. It is sponsored by Rep. Stephen Casey, D-Woonsocket.
Legislation setting maximum parking requirements for new developments, introduced by Rep. Joshua Giraldo, D-Central Falls, would apply to areas accessible by public transit.
Critics of off-street parking requirements say they make it harder to build new apartments and make the units that are built more expensive.
Shekarchi proposed the emergency shelter bill last year. It passed the House and died in the Senate.
It was the result of how long it took state officials to navigate Rhode Island’s building code and open the ECHO Village Pallet shelter in Providence.
The staircase bill, sponsored by Rep. June Speakman, a Warren Democrat and chair of the House’s home affordability study commission, follows a wave of cities and states relaxing rules on how many exits are required in new construction.
Currently, the state building code requires two stairways in buildings with more than three stories, and fire officials have opposed all efforts to change that.
Speakman’s bill would allow four-story buildings with a maximum of 16 units with a single staircase.
Supporters of single-stair buildings say they allow development of small sites that would otherwise sit vacant and allow family-sized units with more light and better ventilation.
A previous Rhode Island single-stair bill would have allowed six stories, but it died in committee.
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey signed an executive order in mid-February to study the idea.
Rhode Island
One of Africa’s soccer giants will be based in Rhode Island for the World Cup – The Boston Globe
Providence has positioned itself as an alternative to Boston, one of the official host cities for the 2026 competition. Located just 30 miles away from Gillette Stadium — or “Boston Stadium” as it will be known during the World Cup — Rhode Island’s leaders have been touting the tiny state as more-affordable for fans and closer to the action. Seven matches, including a quarterfinal, are scheduled to be played in Foxborough.
“Today we announce that Ghana will be staying in Providence and we’d also like to extend an invitation to the fans and families to come to our city,” said Providence Mayor Brett Smiley in a statement on Thursday. “We are committed to being a festive destination for soccer fans from around the world.”
The news has created excitement among the local Ghanaian community in the state.
Kwame Larbi, the president of the Ghana Association of Rhode Island, said Ghana’s decision will be a chance for people to celebrate the West African country’s culture through its soccer team and an opportunity to see what successful Africans look like on a grand stage.
“The Black Stars represent everything Ghanaian. They are Ghana’s pride and joy, our strength, perseverance, and freedom,” he said. “Hosting the Black Stars at Bryant would mean so much for our community. More specifically, our youth. Representation is everything.”
Larbi said the local community plans to show out for the team with traditional Ghanaian dances at Foxborough when they face England on June 23.
“We will all be in our Ghana T-shirts, Ghana flags and our drums,” he said. “I just came from Ghana. My shirts are ready.”
This is the fifth time that Ghana has qualified for the World Cup. Their best showing was in 2010, when they reached the quarterfinal after defeating Team USA only to be eliminated when Uruguay prevented them from scoring in extra time with an intentional handball on the goal line. The team boasts some world-class talent who compete in top leagues around the world, such as star players Mohammed Kudus, who plays for the English Premier League team Tottenham Hotspur, and Antoine Semenyo of Manchester City.
Larbi is bullish about Ghana’s chances at this year’s tournament.
“We are going to beat England. It’s a big name, but we have hope. We are going to surprise everyone, and with the spirit of brotherhood and all, we are going to be successful,” he said.

Rhode Island Congressman Gabe Amo said his father, who hails from Ghana, is excited about the team being based in the state.
“The first thing he texted back to me upon the announcement was ‘Nice. Exclamation point. Buy me a ticket,‘” he said. “There’s a lot of immigrants and immigrant kids who are going to feel some special feelings across the weeks that Ghana has us as their home base.”
Amo said he hopes Ghanaian fans from places such as Worcester, Mass., and New York City will join their compatriots in Rhode Island and create a vibrant atmosphere in the state.
“This is a big deal for our state. We get to showcase all the things that make us special — our food, our amazing Rhode Island summer and our people — to Ghana,” he said. “So it’s going to be great soccer … and it’s going to be a great setting for the World Cup.”
State officials say that the team’s training sessions will be closed to the public, but the country’s football association was planning some events with young players in the state.
“We’re working hard to ensure that the FIFA World Cup leaves behind a legacy of passion for the sport and a commitment to growing the game of soccer in Rhode Island. Partnering with the Black Stars will fuel these young players’ passion,” said Jonathan Walker, executive director of the Rhode Island Sports Commission.
For Larbi, he said Rhode Island’s Ghanaian community is ready to prepare some jollof rice for the team. He has lived in Rhode Island for more than 40 years and he never thought that he would see his country’s national team be based in the state for such a huge tournament.
“It has never occurred to us that one day the Ghana Black Stars will be based in Rhode Island…competing for the World Cup,” he said. “It’s not only Ghanaians, but it’s for the whole of Africa.”
Omar Mohammed can be reached at omar.mohammed@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter (X) @shurufu.
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