Siddharth

Siddharth
Acton-Boxborough Regional High School
Acton, MA

Mentor: 
Ilinca Mazureac
Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research | Nehme Lab
 

Sid made his research interests clear in his BSSP application, stating, “I have been interested in psychiatric diseases for a long time because they are incredibly complex and have a profound impact on individuals, families, and societies in general. Despite all the medical advances, this is an area that still needs attention.” Naturally, Sid was paired with the Nehme lab, which focuses on uncovering the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying neuropsychiatric diseases. Sid and his partner focused on the genetic factors contributing to schizophrenia.They were tasked with differentiating induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) carrying a genetic mutation linked to schizophrenia into neurons and astrocytes. The goal of their project was to confirm the presence of the mutation in these differentiated cell types using qPCR and to validate that the expression of genes known to be impacted by this mutation was indeed affected. Reflecting on his time at the Broad, Sid shares, “BSSP was an amazing experience where I got the opportunity to learn so much from my diverse group of peers and do so much science!”