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2023 Fellow

Sridevi Venkatesan

PhD Institution
University of Toronto
Postdoctoral institution and lab

Li Lab and Gillis Lab, The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and University of Toronto

During her PhD, Sridevi studied pathological mechanisms altering neural signaling in preclinical models of neurobiological disease using microscopy, neurophysiology, and pharmacological approaches. Her work has identified defective neurotransmitter signaling that impairs cognitive function.

As a Schmidt Science Fellow, Sridevi will pivot from Neuroscience to the field of Genetics and Genomics. Working at the interface of stem cell biology and genomics, Sridevi will utilize genetic engineering and bioinformatics tools to uncover gene expression patterns relevant to autism spectrum disorders in early human neurodevelopmental stages. This work will likely lead to the identification of novel genes and pathways implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders, paving the way for personalized treatment approaches.

Sridevi believes this is an important step towards her evolving dream to extend the reach of modern precision genetics. She hopes to develop scalable precision medicine platforms to target different neurodevelopmental disorders, and ultimately transform precision treatments and diagnostics for patients.