Jagan Srinivasan, PhD: Principal Investigator
Professor Srinivasan was born and raised in India. He completed his undergraduate course work at the University of Chennai earning a BS in Zoology and Chemistry. He then moved on to his MS at Goa University completing a degree in Marine Biology and Biotechnology. Professor Srinivasan thereupon relocated to Tuebingen, Germany where he completed his Ph.D in Genetics at the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology. His postdoctoral research soon after sent him to Pasadena, California where he studied the evolution of behavior in C. elegans and small-molecule metabolites regulating social behaviors in C. elegans at Caltech. After his time in Pasadena, in 2012, he moved to the opposite side of the country where he now is an Associate Professor at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, MA. He is also the Director of the Masters Program in Neuroscience at WPI. While simultaneously teaching classes he also focuses on researching brain process signaling and social behaviors using the model system C. elegans. His C. elegans work not only deals with the neurobiology but also biodiversity and ecology of C. elegans which can be seen in the Nematode Citizen Science Project.
Office Location: Life Sciences Bioengineering Center, Gateway Park, Room Nr. 4006, Contact: jsrinivasan@wpi.edu
Dr. Caroline Muirhead: PhD Candidate
Caroline graduated from Smith College in 2017 where she earned a double bachelor’s degree in biology and engineering. Before coming to WPI she worked at a small biotech company in Massachusetts developing food sensitivity tests. She joined the Srinivasan Lab in 2019. She is interested in pursuing a multisensory integration project and developing her neurobiology skills. Outside of lab, Caroline enjoys spending time with her family, any outdoor activity, cooking, and hockey.
Contact: csmuirhead@wpi.edu
Dr. Elizabeth DiLoreto: PhD Candidate
Liz graduated Assumption College in 2017, earning a Biology degree with a concentration in Neuroscience and a minor in Psychology. It was this focus in Neuroscience that initially drew her to the Srinivasan lab where she functioned as the Research Associate and Lab Manager from 2017-2020. Starting in the fall of 2020, she transitioned to the role of graduate student. In the Srinivasan lab, she is researching neuroimmune pathways in C. elegans and methods to study individual neuropeptide function.
Contact: emdiloreto@wpi.edu
Shruti Shastry: Graduate Student
Shruti graduated with an undergraduate degree in Biotechnology from Mumbai University, a Master’s degree from Symbiosis International University and joined WPI in Fall of 2023. She joined the Srinivasan Lab in Spring 2024. Her work focuses on the role of neuropeptides in social behavior in C. elegans.
Contact: sshastry@wpi.edu
Racheal Asaolu: Graduate Student
Racheal graduated with her Bachelor’s from Lead City University, Nigeria, in 2018. She then spent a year interning at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Bioscience Center. She completed her Master’s from the same university in 2023 and joined WPI in the Fall of 2023. She joined the Srinivasan Lab in Spring 2024. Racheal’s work surrounds the effect of air pollution on the nervous system.
Contact: roasaolu@wpi.edu
Aashi Akare: MQP Student ’25
Madison Affsa: MQP Student ’25
Arden Badhwar: MQP Student ’25
Miles Williams: MQP Student ’25
Brigid Hannibal: MQP Student ’25
Isabel Sumner: MQP Student ’25
Korinna Muller: MQP Student ’25
Korinna will graduate from WPI in 2025 with a B.S. in Biology & Biotechnology. She is hoping to pursue a career in neurobiological research, specifically in neurological disorders. Outside of the lab, she is a research assistant in the Social Neuroscience of Affective Processes (SNAP) Lab and she enjoys running to stay active.
Vanya Malik: Undergraduate Volunteer ’27
Vanya is a Biology & Biotechnology and Computer Science double major. She is interested in molecular biology, neuroscience, and medical devices. Outside of the lab, she is involved in Mu Sigma Delta, volunteers at UMass Memorial, and plays the piano.
Volunteering
Past Students and Researchers
Researchers
- Ekra Jean-Yves, PhD Visiting PASET Scholar
- Naman Patel
- Anita Chavan, PhD
Worcester Polytechnic Institute Graduate Students
- Douglas Reilly, PhD ’20
- Christopher Chute, PhD ’18
- Darah de la Cruz, PhD Candidate Rotation
- Rehab Salama, PhD Candidate Rotation
- Samuel Isife, PhD Candidate Rotation
- Sabine Hahn, PhD Candidate Rotation
- Samantha Bryce, MS Candidate Rotation
- Tianbi Zhang, PhD Candidate Rotation
- Tianyu Yang, MS Candidate Rotation
Worcester Polytechnic Institute Undergraduate Students
- Ronit Avadhuta ’25
- Tara Bromfield ’25
- Grace Solod ’24 MQP
- Mira Kirschner ’24 MQP
- Rebecca Whittier ’22 MQP
- Jordan Wynn ’22 MQP
- Jeffrey Marsh ’23
- Gabriella Paquette ’23
- Annalise Robidoux ’20 MQP
- Sarah Tarantino ’21 MQP
- Emily Stead ’21 MQP
- Kathryn Nippert ’21 MQP
- Luigi Apollon ’21 MQP
- Anthony Boza ’23
- Liza Hote ’22
- Emily Flavin ’20 MQP
- Morgan Jones ’22
- Sonia Deodas ’21
- Michael Savoie ’19 MQP
- Bailey Sweet ’19 MQP
- Jane Lockery ’19 MQP
- Haylea Northcott ’19
- Timothy Consedine ’18 MQP
- Emily McGlame ’18 MQP
- Lily Randle ’18 MQP
- Nathan McNeil ’18 MQP
- Isabella Garver ’18 MQP
- Laura Aurilio ’13 MQP and MBA ’17
- Jacqueline Garcia ’19
- Angelica Pollard-Knight ’19
- Jaden Yabut ’17
- Marissa Patterson ’17
- Rebecca Burns ’17
- Aidan Burn ’17 MQP
- Veroniki Nikolaki ’16 MQP
- Florentia Nicole Ong ’16
- Veronica Coyle ’16 MQP
- Alexander Turland ’15
- Bethany Burke ’14
Northeastern University Students
- Apoorva Indraghanty
- Sneha Hingorany
University of Connecticut Students
- Yaheya Irfan
Acton-Boxborough Regional High School Students
- Pratik Bharadwaj
Advanced Math and Science Academy Charter School Students
- Nishita Krishnan
Doherty High School Students
- Sophia Guerra
Grafton High School Students
- Pranay Patel
Massachusetts Academy of Math and Science Students
- Saaya Daga
- Anshika Shekhar
- Shreya Venkayala
- Kyle Klamka
- Supriyo Rana
- Ishita Goluguri
- Matthew Young
- Mariam Dogar
North High School Students
- Sarah Tran
Notre Dame High School Students
- Brooke Anacleto
Shrewsbury High School Students
- Pradnya Cowlagi
- Kruthi Gundu
- Pranav Cowlagi
- Shruthi Sivasibramanian
- Anish Warty
- Chinmay Kale
Wachusett Regional High School Students
- Zachary Swidey
- Stephanie Jones
- Tyler Jones
Westborough High School Students
- Tanvi Gahlot
Research Experience for Teachers (RET)
- Rebecca Chapman Cooke Summer ’24
- Christina Vlad Summer ’23
- Racheal Adamsky Summer ’23