Track: Molecular, Cellular and Physiological

Graduation Year: Spring 2025

Hometown: Clarksburg, Maryland

Meet Darshini! She is passionate about neurodevelopment and hopes to become a developmental-behavioral pediatrician. Studying neuroscience has allowed her to learn about how we learn! As a pre-med student, she has appreciated the opportunities provided by the Neuroscience program to dive deep into her specific interests. 

In her time at UMD, Darshini has honed her skills and passions through her involvement in research. As a research assistant in the Neurocognitive Development Lab with Dr. Tracy Riggins, she helped to study the effects of childhood naps on memory. She has also worked in the Tomatsu Lab at Nemours Children’s Hospital studying hearing loss in patients with Morquio A Syndrome. 

Darshini is also an active member of the UMD community. She is the captain of UMD Moksha, the University of Maryland’s nationally ranked Indian classical dance team! She is also a fellow in the Karabelle Pizzigati Initiative in Advocacy for Children, Youth and Families, as well as the UMD Federal Fellows program.