Ananya Sinha

Ananya Sinha

Academics

Summer @ Brown | “Can We Build Organs?”

When I first arrived on move-in day, the reality of being away from home for the first time – and knowing absolutely no one – truly hit me. I felt both excited and nervous. It was my first summer program where I didn’t come with friends, and I suddenly realized I’d be spending two weeks with complete strangers. The idea was scary. But then it dawned on me: everyone here was in the same boat. We were all here to grow, to learn, and to meet new people.

That mindset shift changed everything. Even though my roommate hadn’t arrived by the time my parents left – which initially added to my nerves – she showed up just in time for dinner. We started talking about a show we both liked, and though it felt a bit awkward at first, within days, people were asking us how long we’d known each other. “Two days,” we’d laugh. That’s how quickly genuine friendships formed.

 

But the heart of my Brown experience was my course: “Can We Build Organs? Techniques in Regenerative Medicine”, taught by Dr. Toni Achilli and guided by two incredible TAs (Madison Smith, Danait Selamawi).
 

Inside the Lab

The first week was hands-on and lab-heavy – we cultured mammalian cells, counted them using hemocytometers, made cell media, and fed them under the hood using proper sterile technique. For a high school student, this was a rare opportunity to access such sophisticated equipment and real lab protocols – something far beyond a typical classroom.
In the second week, we explored decellularization techniques, scaffolding, and the biomedical business side of  regenerative medicine. A highlight was decellularizing spinach leaves and perfusing them with cow blood to mimic vascular flow. The final project was a deep-dive presentation into a disease of our choice; I focused on spinal cord injury (SCI) and proposed a biotechnological solution called NeuroThread – a bioactive scaffold designed to support spinal regeneration.
 
Throughout the course, I volunteered often to present, and the feedback I consistently received was that I had a natural ability to engage and captivate an audience. That encouragement meant a lot and reminded me how much I enjoy public speaking, especially when I’m passionate about the topic.
In the second week, we explored decellularization techniques, scaffolding, and the biomedical business side of regenerative medicine. A highlight was decellularizing spinach leaves and perfusing them with cow blood to mimic vascular flow. The final project was a deep-dive presentation into a disease of our choice; I focused on spinal cord injury (SCI) and proposed a biotechnological solution called NeuroThread – a bioactive scaffold designed to support spinal regeneration.

Throughout the course, I volunteered often to present, and the feedback I consistently received was that I had a natural ability to engage and captivate an audience. That encouragement meant a lot and reminded me how much I enjoy public speaking, especially when I’m passionate about the topic.

Oxbridge Politics & Debate

At the Oxbridge Politics & Debate program, I explored the foundations and future of global political systems. Through modules on democracy, elections, political parties, leadership, and social movements, I developed a stronger understanding of how governments function and how people shape them. 

We debated the role of identity and citizenship, discussed the impact of revolutions, and even simulated real-world campaign strategies. The course strengthened my ability to think critically about power, persuasion, and civic responsibility, and sparked my deeper interest in public policy and human rights.

Coursera Courses

  • Introduction to Psychology (Yale University): This course introduced me to core psychological concepts, from perception, memory, and 
    communication, to decision-making, behavior, and brain function. I found it especially fascinating to explore how the mind develops across individuals and how it can break down due to illness or trauma. 

    It helped me see how human behavior is influenced not just by biology, but by experience, cognition, and environment, and gave me a foundation to think more deeply about empathy, mental health, and human complexity. 

  • Learning for a Sustainable Future (University of Edinburgh): This course challenged me to think critically about the sustainability challenges our world faces and how individual and collective action can help address them. From climate change to social equity, we explored major global issues through a systems lens and reflected on what it means to take informed, ethical, and practical action. The course helped reinforce my belief that sustainability isn’t just 
    environmental, it’s about justice, values, and how we choose to live, lead, and learn.

Science Society

Science Society gave me the space to explore science beyond the classroom. I joined because I was curious about the “why” behind everyday things, and being around like-minded peers made it even more exciting. We discussed new scientific breakthroughs, designed small experiments, and worked toward presenting our ideas at the HS Science Fair. It was a space to explore open-ended questions and learn collaboratively.