Week Zero: Introduction

Hello, My name is Sudeep Goluguri. Welcome to my first blog! My senior project will uncover how interactions at the neurological level lead to the perception of emotions, such as sadness, joy, fear, surprise, disgust, and anger. In particular, this topic will explore various mechanisms, such as neurotransmitters, drugs, and neurodegenerative diseases. Neurotransmitters, like dopamine and serotonin, interact with neurons in the brain to affect the mood and emotions of an individual. However, neurodegenerative diseases (anxiety disorders) and drugs (SSRIs) can change the number of neurotransmitters released to manipulate neurons and emotions. Therefore, we may not have control over our emotions sometimes. Through my research, I aspire to learn more about what it means to have emotions and how they are manipulated on a molecular scale.
While working on my research project, I will intern with Professor Peixoto at George Mason University. In my internship, my responsibilities include shadowing students (that are doing a project) and assisting in teaching Introduction to Engineering. After shadowing students, I will conduct on an independent engineering project that connects neuroscience and engineering, so I can learn how technology impacts our nervous system. However, I have not decided on what the engineering project is, but I hope to discover that in the following weeks. This internship will allow me to garner new skills in teaching students, learning to effectively read scientific articles, and learning engineering tools, such as Fusion360. I hope to continue to explore my topic and share my progress with all of you in the next few months.

-Sudeep Goluguri