Homo sapiens and their inner workings
Even as a child, Homo sapiens and their inner workings have uncharacteristically interested me. When I was in sixth grade, a friend mentioned how she would always fall asleep when her mother would caress her hair or lightly pull her hair while combing. This sparked my initial interest in the subject of Neuroscience. I was curious to know what exactly was it that made her scalp so sensitive. My curiosity was satiated after talking to my school librarian Mrs. Pant. She explained to me how specialised neurons located at the base of the hair follicles aid in this process. A hormone called Oxytocin also helps an individual to feel happiness along with a few other hormones. We had just started Science as a separate subject, and most of these terms did not make much sense to me then. But after seeing a video of neurons in action, I was hooked.
Another significant event that strengthened my interest in getting to know about the brain and its workings was my meeting with a Neurosurgeon, who was a family friend. As he was explaining one of his surgeries, I had a eureka moment. The organ that looked so much like a Walnut was going to be my chosen area of study.
I have always been a sincere and hardworking student who used to be in the Top 10 if not Top 5 students academically. Throughout college, I have been steadily working towards improving my grades as well as my knowledge. This is reflected in my increasing percentage in my semesters in college. Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
My idol and inspiration in life has been my Father. He had to struggle from a young age as his father expired when he was a mere four years old. He wanted to go into Mercantile Marine and to pass the examinations he had to study science which was very difficult for him as he was a Commerce student up to grade 12th. My father is now a Captain. He reached at this stage through his sheer hard work and determination to prove himself as a capable being.
By chance, I discovered Robin Cook’s works, and once I started reading his novels, I was astonished as to all that science was capable of. Two of my favourite novels amongst the many he authored are ‘Chromosome 6’ and ‘Mutation’. Both books deal with genetic engineering. In Chromosome 6, we see how the change in one chromosome can lead up to a speedy evolution which can be witnessed ourselves. Something that we have always read about can be seen through one’s naked eye. While Mutation deals with how a doctor genetically engineers the ‘perfect’ child and it’s consequences on mankind. Whenever I used to read these books, I would keep cross-checking to see if something like this could actually be possible scientifically, which helped me further my interest in science as a whole and Neuroscience specifically. I stumbled across a paper which explained how the destruction of VAMP could prevent the release of acetylcholine, an important neurotransmitter thus causing Paralysis. This intricate working of one protein and a chemical which could basically cause a state of Paralysis blew my mind.
After reading that the combined effects of psychological and physiological problems can affect the overall health of an individual, I got fascinated into the reasoning behind this and if an organic approach could work much better than the traditional methods of treatment.
On that note, I pursued my research through a Summer Internship Program at Amity University, Lucknow, which consisted of testing organic ingredients as anti-cancerr agents. My research was focused on secondary metabolites and their properties. The term paper I wrote in the 5th semester of my college was titled ‘ Secondary plant metabolites as antimicrobial and anti-cancer agents’ on the basis of the results obtained from my short research.
In the month of October last year, I was presented with an opportunity to give an oral presentation at an International Conference happening at Ramaiah College, Bengaluru. My work was titled ‘Identification of Bio-control agents against Aspergillus niger’. I was one of the youngest people to give a presentation. While listening to the other speakers about the ongoing scientific research, I was inspired.
The words of one of the speakers, “Research is not worth a dime if it does not contribute to the society in some form or the other” are something that I agree with. I want to contribute to the society and help people through my work. As an individual, I am capable of performing well under stressful conditions. As a part of the organisation National Service Scheme (NSS) we took part in a ten day rural camp where the motive was to create awareness about social issues and organise a cleanliness drive for the village. My leadership and organisational skills were also honed as in my first year, I was assistant treasurer of NSS and being involved in the core team meant organising and leading many events.
On completion of my Master’s degree, I would like to enter the research field, and this University with this specific course will help me immensely in achieving my goals and turning my dreams into a reality. I want to be at the centre of research-based learning and scientific discoveries. This University is tailor-made for my interests and goals.