Pratush Saravanan
M.D./Ph.D. Student
Pratush Saravanan
About Me
Hi, I’m Pratush! I’m originally from Denver, Colorado, where I grew up embracing the outdoors and snowy winters. I was always fascinated by how fundamental biological principles gave rise to the complexities of life in both health and disease. A medical careers class in high school fostered my interest in medicine, showing me how being a physician would allow me to harness my scientific curiosity to make a tangible impact on people’s lives.
To explore these passions, I pursued my undergraduate degrees in both Molecular and Cell Biology and Bioengineering at the University of California, Berkeley. Throughout my time there, I explored the intricacies of the brain in my coursework and research focused on investigating neurodegenerative diseases from multiple perspectives. After graduating, I further engaged in translational neuro-oncology research while continuing to work with patients with a wide range of neurological conditions, experiences that further affirmed my commitment to pursuing the physician-scientist journey.
Hobbies/Interests
Tennis, Coffee, Restaurants, Board games, Movies
Research Topic
Neuroscience, Neuroimmunology, Neurodegenerative Diseases
Why I chose MD/PhD
My experiences in both research labs and clinical settings showed me how impactful it would be to integrate a scientist’s tools with a physician’s insights to tackle today’s incurable conditions. The MD/PhD path seemed to be the perfect way to combine these disciplines to make a well-rounded impact on patients’ lives, uniquely preparing me to treat diseases with innovation and translate research into clinical advances.
Why I chose MD/PhD at 17³Ô¹ÏÍø
17³Ô¹ÏÍø stood out to me for its excellent mentorship, supportive community, and commitment to science-driven medicine. The expertise here in Alzheimer’s and brain aging also offered an outstanding training environment for nurturing my long-term clinical and research interests.
Post-bac work or other affiliations
Research Volunteer at UCSF
Education
B.A., Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Berkeley, 2023
B.S., Bioengineering, University of California Berkeley, 2023
Publications
Mahalingam, R., Feia, B., Coleman, C., Anupindi, K., Saravanan, P., Luthens, A., Bustillos, A., Das, A., de Haro, E., Doyle-Meyers, L., Looper, J., Bubak, A. N., Niemeyer, C. S., Palmer, B., Nagel, M. A., & Traina-Dorge, V. (2022). Simian Varicella Virus Pathogenesis in Skin during Varicella and Zoster. Viruses, 14(6), 1167. https://doi.org/10.3390/v14061167