NEUROSCIENCE PHD STUDENT

Aayushma Kunwar

I am interested in how sleep interacts with & influences memory processes which underlie cognitive and affective functions.I hope my research will uncover factors that support resilience and factors that drive vulnerability to psychopathology in humans.

EDUCATION

2024-current
Ph.D. student in the department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology at UTSA, San Antonio, TX

2017-2021
B.Sc. Double major in Biology and Chemistry
William Carey University, MS

Senior Thesis title:
Efficacy of Bio-Based Additives Against Enveloped Viruses

FIRST YEAR PHD LAB ROTATIONS

Rotation 1 project: Intrinsic properties of postnatally developing Inferior Colliculus neurons
Mentor: Dr. Marina Silveira

Rotation 2 project: Influence of sleep in the strength of fear associations as function of the predictive value of threat cues
Mentor: Dr. Itamar Lerner

Rotation 3 project: Does the predictive value of threat cue influence defensive responses?
Mentor: Dr. Anthony Burgos-Robles

OTHER FIRST YEAR EXPERIENCES

2025 Graduate Fellow at Nepali Academics in America (NACA)NACA is a non-profit and non-partisan network established to enhance collaboration among Nepali academics and scholars

Volunteered at Employ 210 Job Experience Event (JEE) 2025 as a volunteer job coachEmploy 210 is a free program designed to address the employment gap of individuals with disabilities by aligning employee skills with employer needs before job placement.

POST-UNDERGRAD RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

2021-2024
Research Technician
Laboratory for Cell Fate Specification and Circuit Development, White Plains, NY
Mentor: Dr. Vibhu Sahni

PROJECTSAnatomical Investigation:
Cell autonomous function of transmembrane protein, Crim1 in Corticospinal neuron axon targetingBehavioral Investigation:
Role of subcerebral connectivity in motor function using Fezf2 null mice

2023 SfN conference poster, Washington, D.C.

UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH EXPERIENCE