Meet 2024 Award Recipient
Michael Brian Fernando
Michael came to the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from St. Thomas University. Previously, Michael worked as a Life Science consultant. He entered the PhD in Neuroscience program in 2018.
While at Icahn Mount Sinai, Michael joined the labs of Dr. Kristen Brennand and Dr. Paul Slesinger, where he studied how unique patient mutations in the NRXN1 gene lead to functional consequences across different types of cells in the brain. While completing his PhD, he has co-authored 14 peer-reviewed publications, competitively presented his work at numerous conferences, received 4 travel and best-presenter awards, and was a recipient of the 2021 Gilliam Fellowship by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Recognizing the importance of reducing the barriers to entry in science, Michael has served as the co-president of Mentoring in Neuroscience Discovery at Sinai (MiNDS) from 2019-2023. During his tenure, Michael co-organized and participated in multiple outreach activities, including the annual public lecture, external brain-booths, teaching a middle-school neuroscience curriculum, and hosting the annual Mount Sinai Brain Fair. These activities collectively aim to make neuroscience education fun and accessible to the East Harlem community and beyond, reducing the barrier of entry into STEM fields, and inspiring the next generation of scientists.
Michael would like to thank his family, friends, and numerous mentors throughout his journey before and during graduate school, for supporting his commitment to excellence inside and outside the laboratory. He would especially like to thank MiNDS, and his mentors for their nomination for the science advocacy award.
After graduation, Michael will continue his career in neuroscience as a postdoctoral researcher at the Rockefeller University. He is eager to continue his scientific journey while simultaneously serving in the community by engaging and leading outreach activities.