Name: Atul Rangadurai
Hometown: Chennai, India
Degree: PhD in Biochemistry
Lab: Prof. Hashim M. Al-Hashimi
What are your research interests and ultimate career goals?
I am interested in studying changes in the shapes of nucleic acids and proteins, and how that is related to their function and ultimately to cellular activity and disease. My ultimate career goal is to be a Principal Investigator in an R1 research institute performing research in the above areas, while guiding students/postdocs to careers of their choice.
What inspired you to pursue graduate school at Duke?
The open door policy of the faculty and the collegial nature of the Biochemistroy department, and the natural beauty of the Duke campus and Durham.
What is your favorite memory from graduate school at Duke?
Some of my favorite memories are the sights of flowers blooming in spring around campus, interacting with colleagues in the department and working on exciting scientific problems during grad school.
How do you hope to make an impact with your research?
I hope to contribute towards developing a deep and predictive understanding of biology, getting people excited about science and making academia the best place it can be.