CBRAIN Internships 2025
Following is the list of CBR’s research projects in which internships are available. In the online
application, please indicate up to 3 projects of your choice (i.e., 1st, 2nd, and 3rd preferences). The
allotment of internships will depend on availability and the Mentors’ recommendations.
Project 1: Measuring sleep stages
Sleep plays a crucial role in several brain functions, including memory consolidation and glymphatic
clearance. Sleep is broadly classified into NREM and REM sleep. We use neural, video, and muscle
recordings to classify stages of sleep. The prospective intern will use MATLAB and work on
understanding how sleep is impacted by noninvasive brain stimulation.
Keywords: Neurophysiology, MATLAB, signal processing, mice, time series data
Duration: 3 months
Mentor: Dr. Chinnakkaruppan Adaikkan
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Project 2: Analysis of synaptic plasticity related proteins in neurodegeneration
Expressions of neuronal and synaptic plasticity-related proteins are severely affected in
neurodegenerative diseases. Using brain sections, we can measure the levels of these proteins,
compare them between healthy and diseased states, and gain mechanistic insights. The prospective
intern will perform immunohistochemical analysis and image processing to understand the
mechanisms by which noninvasive neurostimulations impact synaptic plasticity-related proteins.
Keywords: confocal imaging, brain sections, noninvasive brain stimulations, IMARIS
Duration: 3 months
Mentor: Dr. Chinnakkaruppan Adaikkan
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Project 3: Cholinergic dysfunction in pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor
impairments and diverse non-motor symptoms (NMS), including depression, anxiety, apathy, and
cognitive decline. NMS often precede the onset of motor symptoms, yet their relationship to motor
features and underlying mechanisms remains poorly understood. Beyond dopaminergic deficits,
dysfunctions in cholinergic signalling, has emerged as critical contributors to PD pathology. The
project is focused on understanding such molecular mechanisms contributing to both motor and NMS.
Keywords: Parkinson’s disease, Synaptic function, Cholinergic system
Duration: 3 months
Mentor: Dr. Latha Diwakar
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Project 4: Bioenergetics defects in Alzheimer’s Disease
AD is a progressive neurodegenerative disease where synaptic defects precede neuronal death and
are primarily responsible for loss of cognition. Synaptic activity is a high-energy demanding process
requiring a coordinated regulation of bioenergetic processes. Since mitochondria are one of the
organelles affected in ADm, synaptic bioenergetics is severely compromised. In this project, we will
investigate how mitochondrial defects may impact synaptic bioenergetics which inturn affect synaptic
plasticity.
Keywords: Bioenergetics, mitochondria, synaptic defects, AD neurons
Duration: 3 months
Mentor: Prof. Ravi Muddashetty
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Project 5: The role of FMRP in AD pathology
Synaptic defects are thought to be primarily responsible for loss of cognition in Alzheimer's Disease.
Activity-mediated protein synthesis is an important process involved in synaptic plasticity and this
process is shown to be defective by us and several other groups. In this project, we want to explore
the role of FMRP, the RNA-binding protein that is characterized as a key regulator of activity-mediated
protein synthesis at the [Link] project will involve investigating the expression, transport, and
function of FMRP in AD neurons and synaptosome preparation from human iPSC and mouse models.
Keywords: Activity mediated protein synthesis, synapse, FMRP, AD neurons, iPSC
Duration: 3 months
Mentor: Prof. Ravi Muddashetty
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Project 6: Spatial and Temporal Progression of Parkinson’s Disease in Limbic Circuits: A
Immuno histological analysis of astrocytes, along with pre- and postsynaptic protein
alterations and a Golgi Cox study.
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a complex interplay of motor
and non-motor symptoms, with significant variability in onset and progression among individuals. While
research has primarily focused on the nigrostriatal pathway and its role in motor dysfunction, this study will
explore non-motor symptoms—such as cognitive impairment, mood disturbances, and autonomic
dysfunction—that often precede motor impairments, capturing the prodromal stage of the disease. To
understand the transition from non-motor to motor symptoms, we will map behavioral and phenotypic
changes in PD and examine how different brain regions are progressively affected. A key focus will be the
limbic pathway, which plays a vital role in emotional and cognitive functions, and its alterations during
disease progression may provide critical insights into early pathological mechanisms. By employing
histological and immunohistochemical techniques to analyze neuronal and glial changes, as well as pre-
and postsynaptic alterations, this study will integrate with ongoing research at Dr. Diwakar’s lab to build a
comprehensive understanding of PD pathology and track its spatial and temporal progression across
disease stages.
Keywords: Nigrostriatal pathway, non-motor symptoms, Golgi Cox staining
Duration: 3 months
Mentor: Dr. Shobha Anilkumar
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Project 7: Molecular basis of tau protein aggregation in Alzheimer's disease.
Tau degeneration spreads from one brain region to the next in a prion-like fashion, contributing to the
onset and progression of dementia in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The incidence of dementia in
Alzheimer's disease patients varies, and the molecular basis is unknown. We will aim to understand
how tau proteins misfold and cause dementia.
Keywords: Tau
Duration: 3 months
Mentor: Dr. Sivaprakasam Ramamoorthy
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