UNews - Rajat Thapa

Biological Information Processing program puts research in the hands of students

david.kirby — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 15:24:04 +0000

Rajat Thapa (BSc ’12) may have started his undergraduate studies in the United States, but he knows exactly what drew him to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge to complete his Bachelor of Science in neuroscience: “The world-renowned neuroscience faculty at the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience (CCBN),” says the native of Nepal.

The CCBN – the only research facility of its kind in Canada – is home to some of the founders of the behavioural neuroscience field. One of those highly respected researchers is Dr. Robert Sutherland, Chair of the Department of Neuroscience, who has a long list of scientific achievements to his credit. Among them, his team was the first in the world to reverse a memory deficit in a dementia model by regenerating cells in the cerebral cortex.

Master’s student Rajat Thapa (BSc ’12) is seeking answers to some of the brain’s most mysterious puzzles and making important discoveries along the way. (Photo by Leslie Ohene-Adjei)

In addition to conducting his own research, Sutherland plays a key role in supporting and inspiring the next generation of scientists. As director of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s Biological Information Processing (BIP): From Genome to Systems Level program, Sutherland oversees a premier training initiative in neuroscience. Funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) through their Collaborative Research and Training Experience program, BIP provides students with a hands-on experience that is easily translatable to industry – a feature that stands BIP apart from more traditional academic paths.

Equally important, says Sutherland, is the calibre of researchers who students work alongside. “In this program, students learn from an unparalleled group of mentors who are world leaders in their fields,” he says.

Thapa, now a master’s student in neuroscience, is a BIP program participant. Working under the supervision of neuroscientist Dr. Aaron Gruber, an expert in the neural basis of decision-making, Thapa is studying the role that different subregions of the brain play when animals make decisions and exhibit particular behaviour. Gaining better understanding of this process may one day help researchers find novel and effective solutions to addiction, schizophrenia and Parkinson’s disease.

“The U of L’s neuroscience program allowed me to jump right into research,” says Thapa, who intends to pursue a PhD down the road. “It’s helping me gather tools in terms of methods, data-analysis techniques, and creative and critical-thinking tools necessary to pursue the questions I hope to someday answer.”

Biological Information Processing program puts research in the hands of students

trevor.kenney — Tue, 22 Oct 2013 22:18:31 +0000

Master's student Rajat Thapa has taken advantage of his opportunity to work alongside some of the world's leading neuroscience researchers.

In addition to conducting his own research, Sutherland plays a key role in supporting and inspiring the next generation of scientists. As director of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s Biological Information Processing (BIP): From Genome to Systems Level program, Sutherland oversees a premier training initiative in neuroscience. Funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) through their Collaborative Research and Training Experience program, BIP provides undergraduate, graduate students and post-doctoral fellows – as well as southern Alberta high school students – with hands-on experience that is easily translatable to industry – a feature that stands BIP apart from more traditional academic paths.

Equally important, says Sutherland, is the calibre of researchers who students work alongside.

“In this program, students learn from an unparalleled group of mentors who are world leaders in their fields,” he says.

Thapa, now a master’s student in neuroscience, is a BIP program participant. Working under the supervision of neuroscientist Dr. Aaron Gruber, an expert in the neural basis of decision-making, Thapa is studying the role that different sub-regions of the brain play when animals make decisions and exhibit particular behaviour. Gaining a better understanding of this process may one day help researchers find novel and effective solutions to addiction, schizophrenia and Parkinson’s disease.

“The U of L’s neuroscience program allowed me to jump right into research,” says Thapa, who intends to pursue a PhD down the road. “It’s helping me gather tools in terms of methods, data-analysis techniques and creative and critical thinking necessary to pursue the questions I hope to answer someday.”

New Biological Information Processing program presents incredible oppportunity

trevor.kenney — Tue, 24 Sep 2013 21:12:09 +0000

A new program in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience (CCBN) presents an incredible opportunity for the next generation of scientists.

The Biological Information Processing (BIP): From Genome to Systems Level program (www.uleth.ca/artsci/neuroscience/student-opportunities), funded by the Natural Sciences & Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) through its Collaborative Research and Training Experience (CREATE) program, is currently seeking exceptional graduate students and post-doctoral fellows.

“In this program, students learn from an unparalleled group of mentors who are world leaders in their fields,” says Dr. Robert Sutherland, program director, NSERC CREATE Biological Information Processing, and Chair of the Department of Neuroscience.

Graduate student Rajat Thapa (BSc '12) is working with neuroscience researcher Dr. Aaron Gruber as part of the BIP program.

Citing neuroscience, biology, epigenetics, cancer research and neurotechnology development as fields of supervisor expertise, Sutherland says the unique approach of the BIP program makes it attractive to students who are looking at gaining hands-on experience that is easily translatable to industry.

“The program stands apart from the standard academic track because it provides opportunities for science entrepreneurship, industry contact and the translation of science to industry,” he says. “It also offers a very competitive stipend to qualified applicants.”

Rajat Thapa (BSc ’12) is a graduate student working under the supervision of neuroscientist Dr. Aaron Gruber. His research focus is on decision making and he relishes the opportunity to not only learn alongside some of the world’s leading neuroscientists, but to put those lessons into practice.

“The program allowed me to jump right into research,” says Thapa, originally from Nepal. “The focus is on learning through independently leading a research project. It’s helping me gather tools in terms of methods, data analysis techniques and creative and critical thinking necessary to pursue the questions I hope to answer someday.”

Students who have a background in neuroscience, cell biology, imaging science, physiology, biochemistry and computation are urged to apply for acceptance to the School of Graduate Studies (www.uleth.ca/graduatestudies/apply) at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and simultaneously to the NSERC CREATE Biological Information Processing Program. The application deadline for MA, MSc and PhD candidates for the Spring 2014 cohort is Oct. 1, 2013. Post-doctoral candidates can apply at anytime.

“The world-class expertise that the students have access to will benefit them throughout their subsequent careers,” says Sutherland. “To have this collection of researchers right here in Canada, in southern Alberta, is quite remarkable, and our belief is that we can provide our students with the toolkit necessary to produce the next generation of innovators in neuroscience.”

Student undergraduate research award winners

trevor.kenney — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 15:55:09 +0000

Following are the 2010 Student Research Awards for undergraduate students. Please note that some awards might not be listed because the granting agency has not yet given the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ permission to publicly release the information.

AHFMR Summer Studentship Awards
(Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research)

Katie Areshenko, Biological Sciences (O. Kovalchuk)
Elfriede Dyck, Biological Sciences (R. Golsteyn)
Kristyn Kurio, Neuroscience (G. Metz)
Rajat Thapa, Neuroscience (R. Sutherland)
Saif Zahir, Neuroscience (B. Kolb)

Chinook Research Summer Awards

Lowell Ayers, Philosophy (T. Govier)
Lisa Boody, History (L. Kennedy)
Janelle Brodner, Modern Languages (N. Rosen)
Brett Clifton, History (A. Shaw)
Michael De Coste, Physics (B. Seyed-Mahmoud)
Laura Faber, Mathematics & Computer Science (H. Kadiri)
James Falconer, Sociology (A.Kazemipur)
Yang Li, Mathematics & Computer Science (N. Ng & A. Akbary)
Sheena MacInnis, Neuroscience (M. Tata)
Dominic Mudiayi, Chemistry & Biochemistry (H. J. Wieden)
Hugh Ramp, Mathematics & Computer Science (H. Kharaghani)
Dasha Reizvikh, Health Sciences (B. Lee)
Laura Richardson, Anthropology (J. Newberry)
Bethany Schmidt, Sociology (R. Wood)
Rachel Shields, Sociology (C. Malacrida)
Tyler Stewart, Fine Arts (A. Dymond)
Jennifer VanderFluit, Fine Arts (A. Dymond)
Sophia Vathracoulis, Chemistry & Biochemistry (P. Hayes)
Vanessa Wall, Health Sciences (B. Hagen)
Elizabeth Young, History (H. MacDonald)
Amber Zary, Sociology (T. Harrison)

NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Awards
(Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada)

Trystyn Berg, Physics & Astronomy (D. Naylor)
Darcy Best, Mathematics & Computer Science (K. Kharaghani)
Alix Blackshaw, Neuroscience (A. Iwaniuk)
Lisza Bruder, Chemistry & Biochemistry (S. Mosimann)
Mackenzie Coatham, Chemistry & Biochemistry (H. J. Wieden)
Adriena De Visser, Biological Sciences (B. Selinger)
Jarrod Dowdall, Neuroscience (M. Tata)
Shey Eagle Bear, Chemistry & Biochemistry (H. J. Wieden)
Melissa Ferrari, Neuroscience & Physics (A. Cross)
Jason Flindall, Psychology (D. Weeks)
Thomas Fox, Geography (C. Hugenholtz)
Andrea Glover, Chemistry & Biochemistry (P. Hayes)
Dillon Hambrook, Neuroscience (A. Luczak)
Tanner Heggie, Physics & Astronomy (D. Naylor)
Breanne Kamenz, Chemistry & Biochemistry (S. Wetmore)
Fern Leavens, Chemistry & Biochemistry (S. Wetmore)
Elizabeth Millions, Chemistry & Biochemistry (S. Wetmore)
Samuel Neale, Physics & Astronomy (D. Naylor)
Kirsten Rosler, Chemistry & Biochemistry (H. J. Wieden)
Keilan Scholten, Mathematics & Computer Science (A. Akbary)
Jordan Van Dyk, Biological Sciences (E. Schultz)

Alberta Cancer Foundation Studentship

Philip Kubara, Biological Sciences (R. Golsteyn)

2010 student research awards (undergraduate)

trevor.kenney — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 21:30:39 +0000

AHFMR Summer Studentship Awards
(Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research)

Chinook Research Summer Awards

NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Awards
(Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada)

Alberta Cancer Foundation Studentship

Philip Kubara, Biological Sciences (R. Golsteyn)

UNews - Rajat Thapa

Biological Information Processing program puts research in the hands of students

Related Topics

Biological Information Processing program puts research in the hands of students

Related Topics

New Biological Information Processing program presents incredible oppportunity

Related Topics

Student undergraduate research award winners

Related Topics

2010 student research awards (undergraduate)

Related Topics