Young Student Innovator
Praneetha Plans to Make Innovative Medicine Accessible to Under-Represented Communities
At 19, Praneetha hopes to make a paradigm shift in innovative medicine practices through targeted disease therapies!
Research Bootcamp Scholar 2024
Praneetha, a gap-year student from Bangalore, India has made significant strides in the field of innovative medicine and sustainable practices. Her work in blood brain barrier-on-a-chip permeation to model neurological diseases using microfluidic biosensors has yielded a research publication during the Research Bootcamp cohort 2024.
Over the next few years, she hopes to bring about positive change in society by continuing her advocacy for women’s empowerment and gender equality. In school, she worked to educate her peers on topics such as women's hygiene, pay disparity, violence against women and the atrocities faced by marginalized women. She am particularly passionate about supporting those who are being denied basic human rights, suffering from oppression, those who face domestic violence and other forms of injustices. Praneetha plans on contributing to this cause by volunteering or even starting her own campaign to support vulnerable women. Furthermore, as an aspiring doctor, in the future she also plans on making a difference in people’s lives through her medical expertise.
What is one thing you wish more people knew about research?
Praneetha: One thing I wish people knew more about research is that it isn’t necessarily for experts or for people with college degrees, it can be for anyone with curiosity and an inquisitive mind. Research is all about understanding the world better. It doesn’t always have to lead to breakthroughs or new inventions; it can be about deepening our understanding of existing knowledge. Writing a research article, like a review paper, helps refine and organize what we already know, making it more accessible even for a layperson with no background in the subject area. This kind of research is equally important because it allows anyone to gain a clearer understanding of the world through synthesized and well-presented knowledge.
Tell us what you specifically loved about the Research Bootcamp.
Praneetha: My experience in the Research Bootcamp by Incognito Blueprints was nothing short of amazing! It was a great add on to my previous knowledge in writing research articles. The modules were concise and very informative, and having the flexibility to watch recorded videos in my own timeline made it perfect for my schedule. However, the best part was interacting with my peers and sharing ideas. It made the whole process much easier and more interesting. I loved the fact that I could research and learn in depth about topics like the blood-brain barrier and technological advancements in its research. These were the areas of research that interested me for a very long time and this bootcamp gave me the opportunity to further my knowledge as well as share it with my peers and now the world! (since it’s now published!). The prompt response from the advisors and commitment mentors, helped me and my team to clarify doubts and complete assignments in a timely manner. I also appreciated the incentives like the Young Student Innovator award and other competitions for the top five teams. I believe these incentives motivated students like me to push ourselves and produce high-quality research articles, enhancing both the experience and the output. Additionally, I loved the program included publication of the work we produced during the intense 8 weeks of writing and researching. The support provided for publication was very helpful, from choosing the right journal to formatting and then finally submitting it, the advisors were extremely helpful. Lastly, participating in the research bootcamp also gave me the opportunity to hone my communication, research and team skills.
When you think about the future of research and where it’s headed in the next decade, what role do you hope to play in shaping that future?
Praneetha: I believe the future of research is headed to a highly multidisciplinary direction, characterised by the integration of various advanced technologies. With the advent of Artificial Intelligence in recent times, it is sure to play a huge role in the design of research methodologies as well as analysis of data sets. As someone who is deeply passionate about biology and has also lately developed a keen interest in psychology, I wish to conduct research on various mental health conditions and study their physiological effect on the human body. By doing so, I aim to contribute to a more holistic understanding of health care that recognizes the complex relationship between mind and body. My main motivation in choosing this area of research is due to the fact that I have witnessed a couple of my close relatives and family members suffer from panic attacks and other physical symptoms of mental agony. This therefore, led to my curiosity. Additionally, I hope to integrate, the latest advanced technologies and machine learning to truly make it futuristic and to also aid me in efficiently conducting my research and producing precise outcomes. My main aim is to bridge the gap between the mental and physical health realms through innovative research.
Is the program ideal for young high school students considering research is a very vast and advanced field?
Praneetha: I strongly believe this program is ideal for high school students. Factually, research is very vast and an advanced field, however the modules crafted by the incognito blueprints team is very informative and explained in simple enough terms to be understood by someone with absolutely no prior knowledge on research. Furthermore, I found the support from the advisors, and commitment mentors to be immaculate, who were ready to help students with all their doubts. Additionally, through this bootcamp, participants would also have the wonderful opportunity to collaborate with likeminded peers with similar academic interests, therefore enabling inquisitive and thoughtful theoretical discussions that can expand one’s perspectives. Therefore, I find this program to be a great starting point for high school students to get acquainted with research before they venture into bigger research endeavours.
What song is the soundtrack to your life?
Praneetha: If I were to choose a soundtrack for my life, it would be "Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfield. This song deeply resonates with me because of its powerful themes of courage, authenticity, and the ability to redefine yourself at any moment in your life. It serves as a constant reminder to me to not confine myself to my limitations but to step outside of my comfort zone and experience life for myself, as no one else can do it for me. Especially, when I’m feeling low, this song empowers me, reminding me that every day is a chance to start fresh, with a blank page in front of me. It gives me the motivation to embrace the unknown, knowing that my future is truly "unwritten," and I have the power to shape it.
What individual inspires you?
Praneetha: I am personally inspired by the journeys of Malala Yousafzai and Greta Thunberg. I particularly find it admirable that these individuals broke through various barriers such as age, culture, religion, and political pushbacks, sparking huge movements to promote the causes they passionately believed in. Their courage and determination have not only brought attention to critical issues but have also inspired countless others to join their fight. I am particularly enticed by their remarkable qualities, such as courage, determination, resilience, tenacity and compassion. I also greatly resonate with Malala Yousafzai’s advocacy for women's empowerment and aspire to contribute to this area in the future.