Proposal Development Office Team

Kiran Kocherlakota, PhD
Director

Dr. Kiran Kocherlakota received her PhD in Cell and Developmental Biology from Penn State University. Beyond her proficiency in laboratory techniques, Kiran has cultivated a keen interest in research administration, amassing valuable experience in this domain. At various research centers and institutes, she has provided budgetary, operational, and administrative oversight. She has written and edited manuscripts, book chapters, and grants. She has also helped research faculty successfully compete for program funding from several major sponsors. In her role in the SoM Proposal Development Office, Kiran continues to help faculty members identify funding opportunities and prepare competitive grant proposals.

Heike Schmidlin, PhD
Proposal Development Specialist

Dr. Heike Schmidlin received a PhD in Immunobiology from the University of Amsterdam, investigating gene regulation in human lymphocyte development. Following her degree, she worked for over 15 years as a life science industry professional with global pharmaceutical and consulting organizations, including innovation consultancy for biotechnology R&D, clinical operations management, and medical advisory. Heike provides expert consultation for the development of grant proposals and in the past decade helped raise R&D funding for numerous life science and green tech innovation projects, through EU and US grants.

Mirella Bucci, PhD
Proposal Development Specialist

Dr. Mirella Bucci received a PhD in Molecular and Cellular Biology from Washington University, where she studied the dynamics of nuclear pore complexes. Her postdoctoral work at Stanford investigated protein misfolding in the context of neurodegenerative disease. She worked for nearly two decades as an editor at the journals Nature and Nature Chemical Biology, vetting the submissions and working with authors to shape their research papers and review articles for publication. She has also worked in marketing communications, as a writer at a biotechnology start-up company, and as an independent consultant helping scientists and clinicians prepare their manuscripts and grant proposals. Mirella brings extensive expertise in scientific and medical communication as well as managing submission and publication workflows to the Proposal Development Office.

Amruta Bhate, PhD
Proposal Development Associate

Drawing on a strong background in RNA biology and transgenic mouse models, Dr. Amruta Bhate has joined the team to leverage her expertise in proposal development and grant writing. Hailing from Mumbai, India, she earned her Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Illinois. Her postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University focused on unraveling the mysteries of A-to-I RNA editing in cancer. With a keen interest in science communication, Amruta has effectively conveyed her scientific findings to diverse audiences through her writing. She now utilizes her scientific knowledge, writing skills, and communication acumen to craft compelling grant proposals and secure funding for cutting-edge research projects. Excited to collaborate with interdisciplinary teams, Amruta looks forward to contributing to the advancement of innovative research that can have a positive impact on lives.

Jonah Park
Proposal Development Administrator

Jonah received his bachelor’s degree in education and in art at the University of California, Irvine. His passions have always revolved around working with people and creating exceptional interactions with every individual he comes across. Jonah’s experience in administration and attention to detail provides a vital contribution to the smooth operation of the Proposal Development Office.

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