Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences

Student Profile: Ritwika Bose

Master
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Ritwika Bose
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I am a second year student in the Chemical, Physical & Structural Biology Program.

I am Indian but I grew up in Bahrain (an island nation off the coast of Saudi Arabia). I then headed to the University of Richmond in Virginia where I studied biochemistry and molecular biology and did research on adapting virus-like particles to filter endocrine disrupting hormones.

My undergrad research introduced me to the brilliantly interdisciplinary field of chemical biology and motivated me to look specifically for graduate programs that offered the same.

At Baylor College of Medicine, I found my interests reflected in Dr. Anthony Mustoe's lab, which focuses mainly on RNA structure, its complexities, and its effects on function. My current project focuses on developing a molecular tool to identify, quantify, and hopefully model RNA tertiary structures and interactions. The project sits at the intersection of chemistry, biology, and computation, and not only tackles the interdisciplinary approach I was looking for in my Ph.D., but also keeps me excited enough to come in to lab everyday, determined to solve the next challenge.

Fun fact: I was also an EMT during undergrad, trying to figure out if I liked attending to patients or proteins better. Surprisingly, proteins seemed friendlier.