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Theworkingofthebrain(likemostofnature)isallaboutsynchrony.MyinterestinthebrainandbiologyofbehaviorgainedfreshimpetusduringmyundergraduatestudiesatSt.Paul's.AsavolunteerattheSocialInvolvementPrograminmycollege,Ihelpedwithchildrenwhohadcerebralpalsy,attentiondeficitandlearningdisordersandwereautistic.Eachofthemhadspecialneeds.Theirindividualpersonalitiescompletewithlikesanddislikesshonethroughtheirdisorders.Howeveritsoonbecameclearthatinspiteofalltheirdifferences,whatlayatthecruxoftheirproblemswasasynchrony.Theylackedthecorrectinterplayofphysicalandchemicalsignalsbetweentheirbrainsandtheirbodies.Iwanttoknowwhythesecrossedsignalsmaketheirlearningandmemoryprocessesdifferentfrommine.Isitpossibleforustoremedythealteredperspectivetheyhaveoflife?Mybraincommunicatesinsynchwithmybody.Butwhoiswavingthebatonthatconductsthisperfectsymphony?HowwoulditbeanydifferentifIhadaglassofchampagne,asnortofcocaineorwas60yearsolder?AsmyundergraduatestudiesatSt.Paul'sprogressed,Iwasintroducedtomanymoreplayersthateventuallychiseloutauniquebrain.Agingandneurodegenerativedisordersraisedafewquestionsinmymind.Inwhatwayarethetworelatedtoeachother?Whateffectdotheyhaveonourbrainandbehavior?Howdothesamemolecules(whetherhormones,alcohol,drugsorneurotransmitters)elicitaconfluenceofphysicalandemotionalexperiencesinus?WhilereadingabouttheresearchbeingdoneintheBehavioralNeuroscienceprogramatBinghamton,Ihavecomeacrossworkthatcanprovideanswerstomyquestionsaboutthebrainanditslinkwithbehavior.WhenIgraduated,Iknewhowthebrainlookedandworked.Iwanttocontinuemyeducationwithastudythatwillhelpmegainadeeperunderstandingofcommunicationwithinthebrain.IamlookingforwardtobeingapartoftheworkbeingdoneinthelabsofDr.PaulSilverandLindaSteele.Likemostofus,Istartedoutwiththesamesheetofepithelialcellsthatdevelopedintoaperfectlittlebrain.However,Ithinkthepowerofthisbrainliesinthewayithaschangedwithexperiences,environmentandmetobecomeastructurethatisuniquelymine.Aging,chemicalsanddiseasearejustafewofthemanytoolsthatchiseloutanindividualbrain.Theirmechanismsofactionhavebeenasourceofinteresttomeeversincemyfirstencounterwiththem.IhopetoturnthisinterestintoalearningexperienceatBinghamton.ThehighlightofmyundergraduateyearswastheHonorsProgram,whichtaughtmetoapplytheknowledgeIhadgained,toachieveaparticularaim.OneofmyprojectswasasateacherattheOpenEndedExperiments(OEE).Ihelpedmyjuniorsunderstandvitaltheories,whichtheycouldapplytoperformsimpleexperiments.SometimesoneofthebestwaystolearnisbyteachingsomeoneelseandthankstotheOEEIhavegainednewinsightintomanyaspectsofmysubject.Ienjoyedwatchingthewaymyquestionsmadesomeonethinkandfinallylearn.Iseeteachingasanimportantpartofmyfuture.Thesharingofideasandnewfindingshasalwaysbeenavitalpartofmyundergraduatelife.Presentationswereaperfectopportunityformetoexplorebeyondthesyllabusandwereinstrumentalingivingmeacompetitiveedgeovermypeers.Irelishachancetoindulgemycreativesideandgainingadeeperunderstandingofmyworkintheprocessmakepresentationsagoodbargain!Ienjoydivingintoafloodofdata,pickingoutrelevantinformationanddeliveringitalltoanappreciativeaudience!ThedynamicnatureofscientificresearchwasrevealedtomeasIworkedonmypresentations.OftennewtheoriesreplacedoldonessofastthatIwasupdatingmyworkrightuptillthemorningIhadtopresent.Onceoutofcollege,Iwasthirstingtoputintopracticeallmyundergraduateeducation.InterningatWellcomeInstituteofFundamentalResearch(WIFR)underDr.RayhasgivenmetheperfectopportunitytoglimpseatthecareerIamentering.Asmyeducationhasprogressed,myresolvetohaveacareerinresearchhasstrengthened.AtWIFRIsawfirsthand,theeffectthatimpropercommunicationbetweenthebrainandbodyhadonbehavior.Adefectinatransporterforcholineacetyltransferaseresultsinalackofacetylcholineatthesynapses,whichamongotherthingsgivesrisetoanuncoordinatedfly.Besidesopeninguptheworldofscientificresearchtome,myexperiencesherehavetaughtmethatmistakesdonotalwayshavetoholdyouback,andoftentakeyouclosertoyourgoal.Thingsoftenlookeasytodoatfirstglance,butalotofhardworkisinvolvedinmakingthemseemthatway.Afterstandardizingsomeprotocolsmyself,Inowunderstandthekindofeffortthatgoesintodevelopingthetechniquesthatmakemyworksomucheasier.IhaveexpandedonmyworkandmymotivationtojoinWIFRinanattachmenttothisessay.Iaminterestedinthestudyofbehavioralandcognitiveprocessesbecausetheyplayanimportantroleindefiningusasaspecies.Thestudyoforganismsasdiverseashumans,birds,miceandfliesbringsusclosereverydaytotheanswersweseek.PerhapstherewillcomeatimewhenresearchaboutthebrainwilleventuallyculminateinanunderstandingsoprofoundthatitwillallowustotelljustfromasimpleMRI,thekindoflifeanindividualhasled.Rightfromthesubstanceshehasabusedtothemoleculesthatmakehimthepersonheis.Mylifeexperienceshavemouldedmeintoahard-workingandwhatIwouldcallanunflappableperson.Ihavelearntthatinscience(andlife)itdoesn'thurttohaveahealthysenseofhumor.Myfuturegoalsincludeestablishingacareerinresearchandeducatingpeopleaboutscience.Scientificresearchhasitsoriginsinaveryfundamentalhumancharacter--curiosity.Itisveryimportantthough,toasktherightquestion.Res