Natural Sciences: Adarsh Mavathaveedu '24

Major(s) and minor(s)

BS in neuroscience

Hometown

Flemington, NJ

Areas of interest/focus in research

Emergency medicine, post-stroke motor recovery

Labs / departments / offsite programs where research was conducted

Movement and Plasticity Lab (MAPL) at University of Rochester Medical Center (PI: Dr. Ania Busza)

Cunningham Lab at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine

Emergency Department Research Associate- Strong Emergency Department (PI: Dr. Nancy Wood)

About me...

Hey! My name is Adarsh and I'm a junior at the University of Rochester. "Research" is a word I've heard as a high school student and I always thought it it was terrifyingly ambiguous. What did it mean? What did it consist of? What kind of tools would I be utilizing?

To overcome this fear, I was determined to get involved in research as an undergraduate student. After several rejections given the pandemic and my lack of experience, I was fortunate enough to obtain an internship in Dr. Ania Busza’s vascular neurology motor recovery lab. As an MD/PhD, she had noticed that patients were more prone to fatigue in their weaker (paretic) arm and tasked me with learning more about the impairment in hopes of developing personalized therapy.

Two years later, I am working on the same endeavor with more questions than answers. As it turns out, “fatigue” is as ambiguous as “research.” It lacks a concrete definition, consists of motor and cognitive components, and is captured by using various tools and measurements. To clarify my understanding, I’ve presented relevant literature at journal clubs with researchers from different states and countries, including Dr. David Cunningham from Ohio and Dr. Annapoorna Kuppuswamy from the United Kingdom. Additionally, with the support of the Schwartz Discover Grant, I spent last summer analyzing EMG and force data for fatigability-related metrics (time until peak activation, modulation ratio, etc.) and learning prominent techniques such as Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation. These combined efforts have culminated in my drafting of a review paper that summarizes the findings of motor fatigability after a stroke, ranks different methodologies used to assess the impairment, and adopts a systematic structure to better understand the complaint. Overall, by immersing myself in a field led by questions and filled with uncertainty, I’ve gained confidence in my own abilities instead of allowing it to be defined by external factors.

As a research ambassador, one of my primary aims to help other students overcome any external or internal barriers to engaging with the research opportunities, build confidence in their research skills, and overall reach their full academic potential!

How has your experience as a researcher influenced your career objectives?

My prior experience has fostered a strong interest in the overlap of the clinical and research worlds. I am continuously inspired by my PI’s ability to work with a patient population, identify an understudied impairment, and conduct research in that direction. Following in her footsteps, I’m greatly interested in pursuing an MD/PhD, with the goals of practicing evidence-based interventions, as well as researching novel techniques to push the boundaries of the unknown.

Campus organizations, programs, activities, clubs, awards/distinctions:

President, Co-Founder of Project Level the Field (2022- Present)

Schwartz Discover Grant Recipient (2022)

University of Rochester Dean's List (present)

University of Rochester Rush Rhees Scholar

SkillsUSA New Jersey Medical Terminology: Gold (2019)

SkillsUSA National Medical Terminology: Bronze (2019)

National Merit Scholarship Program: Finalist (2019)

Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society

Fun Fact: when I'm not doing research you can usually find me...

Playing basketball at the GAC

Areas where I may be particularly helpful:

Discover Grant app writing

Interview Skills

REU apps

Pre-medical advising

What advice do you have for prospective or new researchers?

Don't be afraid to put yourself out there! Apply to open positions, email professors, and talk to upperclassmen about research opportunities. Getting involved in research does require some "luck" but the best way to maximize your odds is to take the initiative. Email me at amavatha@u.rochester.edu.