REU Spotlight: Braxton Goodnight

Home institution

University of Georgia

Year in school

Senior

Major

Biological Engineering

What type of research are you conducting during your REU?

"I am conducting research on how natural and synthetic glycosaminoglycans affect human neural stem cell proliferation, which is critical information that can be used to develop biomaterials for traumatic brain injury and ischemic stroke treatment."

REU mentor

Dr. Lohitash Karumbaiah

What are you enjoying about your REU experience – and how do you think the experience will benefit you in the future?

"Through this REU experience, I am learning so much about cytological and molecular responses to brain pathologies and, more broadly, gaining so many research skills that I can utilize in the future. The ability to work as a full-time researcher has given me insight into how I can integrate research into my future career as I pursue medicine following my undergraduate education."

What do you like about UGA and Athens?

"I may be biased as a student already attending UGA, but Athens, Georgia is the best college town in the nation. Academically, the biomedical resources at UGA are instrumental for the production of frontier scientific research, especially in glycobiology."