Hi, I’m Smrithi! I’m a neuroscientist and bioengineer currently living in Seattle, Washington. I grew up in the bustling city of Bangalore and moved to the United States for college.

My interest in neuroscience began during my undergraduate studies at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, in Jeffrey Capadona’s lab. There, I researched the brain’s response to implanted electrodes, focusing on improving the longevity of neural implants. I spent my summers and most of my non-class hours in the windowless basement lab, staining mouse brain slices and counting neurons.

I continued my research at Boston University, where I earned my PhD in Biomedical Engineering under David Boas. My dissertation, “Wide-field optical imaging of neurovascular coupling during stroke recovery,” centered on the development of a clinically relevant mouse stroke model and a multimodal imaging platform capable of simultaneously capturing neural activity and hemodynamic signals. I used this system to investigate the structural and functional reorganization of neurovascular circuits over time following stroke.

Following my PhD, I joined the Optical Physiology team at the Allen Institute for Neural Dynamics in Seattle. At the Allen Institute, I developed and applied a hyperspectral photometry system to study how neuromodulators like dopamine, serotonin, and acetylcholine influence decision-making processes in mice.

Outside of research, I enjoy woodworking, creating interactive visuals and reporting on publicly available datasets, and spending time hiking around the Pacific Northwest with my family.