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NURTURING RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES for Health Sciences Students
Assistant Professor of Health Sciences Leena Bharath, Ph.D. is on a mission — not only to improve the human “healthspan” through her cutting-edge studies but also to create opportunities for undergraduate students to participate in the research process.
A STRONG FOCUS ON RESEARCH
Dr. Leena Bharath began her academic career with a strong focus on research. After earning a Ph.D. in food science from Oklahoma State University, Bharath completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, followed by another postdoc at Boston University. She recalls, “During my time at Boston University, I really got into studying inflammation and aging — that’s when my research solidified.” After spending two years at the university as a postdoctoral fellow, Bharath began to look for opportunities to merge her interests in research and teaching, particularly at the undergraduate level. She explains, “I started thinking, why not go to an undergraduate institution, establish a lab and introduce undergraduate students to the research process? By providing them with training at an early point in their academic career, if they later pursue an advanced degree, they will have already gained the knowledge and skills needed to provide them with a head start.”
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MERRIMACK • SPRING 2021
