Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences

Student Profile: Stelios Papadopoulos

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Stelios Papadopoulos
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Mentor: Andreas Tolias, Ph.D.
Undergraduate major: Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior
Undergraduate school: University of California, Davis
Research Interests: Systems Neuroscience, Functional Connectomics, Artificial Intelligence

Why did you choose Baylor College of Medicine?

Baylor has a number of high caliber faculty researching topics aligned with my interests.

What is your research interest?

I am interested in understanding how intelligence emerges from cortical circuits.

Why did you choose your mentor?

Andreas runs a collaborative and energetic lab where students, postdocs, and faculty from a diverse array of scientific disciplines including molecular biology, neuroscience, engineering, computer science, and machine learning coalesce to tackle important scientific questions using cutting edge methods and technology. As a mentor, Andreas balances being available for his students while also giving them the freedom and opportunity to develop their own ideas.

What aspects of training have been most influential in preparing for your intended career?

My classwork, qualification exams, committee meetings and lab-specific training were all critical for giving the knowledge and skills to develop and pursue my own research interests.

Did Baylor’s location in the Texas Medical Center enhance your experience?

The high concentration of universities and Baylor's educational partnership with other schools at the TMC allowed me to take courses at Rice University to develop my computational skills.

What are your career plans?

I intend to pursue postdoctoral training and then a faculty position or industry afterwards.

What do you enjoy about living in Houston?

I like that Houston has the big city feel without the high prices and small spaces. The living conditions are very comfortable.

What advice do you have for prospective students?

Don't stress too much about your future plans. Just take it a few steps at a time. One day you will reflect and be shocked with how far you've come.