Sriram Hemachandran

I joined the Ricci Lab in February 2020. I am a researcher interested in studying cellular and molecular mechanisms of neuronal pathologies and, look for prophylactic and/or remedial translational strategies. I did my undergraduate degree in biotechnology from Anna University, Chennai, India. I did my master’s in molecular and cellular biology at the University of Texas at Dallas and my masters’ thesis work was done at UT Southwestern medical center in Dr. Chandra Mohan’s lab. In my master’s, I investigated possible diagnostic markers for the autoimmune disease, systemic lupus erythematosus. My strong interest in neurobiology made me pursue a Ph.D. degree in Dr. Steven Green’s lab at the University of Iowa. In my Ph.D. I was involved in two projects: The first project was to understand the role of the lateral olivocochlear efferent system in synapse loss during trauma, and the second project was to regenerate synapses after synaptic damage. I joined the Ricci lab as postdoctoral scholar in 2020. My current research in the Ricci lab focuses on how hearing loss impacts different modalities of learning and cognitive behavior in mice. My long-term goal is to look at the potential of using hearing deficit progression as a marker for predicting cognitive deficits. Any diagnostic tool for predicting cognitive decline if/ when translated to humans could significantly improve treatment, care, and support provided with better detection.

Apart from science, I am a huge sports fan. I have been playing cricket since my childhood and continued that passion when I moved to the United States. Apart from cricket, I also love to play/watch soccer, badminton, and football.

Current projects: Hearing Loss, Cognitive Function