Jay Patel

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Jay is a second-year student at WashU and a 2024 Vagelos fellow, hoping to major in neuroscience with a minor in healthcare management. His interest in neuroscience was piqued when he participated in MIT’s 2022 MITES program, during which he also worked in a small team to present a biotechnology proposal involving an ambulatory EEG component and adaptive flashcards to create a more efficient method to retain information for individuals with dementia. During his first semester at WashU, he took a course in cognitive neuroscience which further deepened his curiosity for the brain and various imaging techniques.

At the SBL, Jay is excited to help study novel anesthetic interventions by utilizing EEG to analyze biomarkers such as sleep spindles and correlate these signals with neuropsychiatric outcomes. He chose to work in a translational setting to witness firsthand how modern research translates into clinical practice, gain valuable patient exposure, and build his data analysis, scientific reasoning, and communication skills.

Outside the lab, Jay enjoys volunteering in BJC’s neuro ICU and cardiothoracic nursing unit. He also enjoys teaching chemistry as a PLTL leader at WashU, increasing financial literacy at Hazelwood East High School through MoneyThink, and sharing science experiments at Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital as a program leader with Campus Y. In his free time, he likes to bike, play billiards, go-kart, and visit car shows.