College senior Jonibek Muhsinov was recently awarded the Gates Cambridge Scholarship to pursue a Ph.D. in psychiatry at the University of Cambridge in England.
The merit-based scholarship was announced on Feb. 12 and will completely fund three years of Muhsinov’s postgraduate study at Cambridge with the possibility of a fourth year. Muhsinov is one of 26 United States scholars chosen this year and is the 36th Penn scholar selected since the program began in 2001.
Muhsinov — who is majoring in biochemistry and biophysics and submatriculating with the School of Engineering and Applied Science for a master’s degree in bioengineering — told The Daily Pennsylvanian that he feels “very grateful” for being selected for the scholarship.
At Penn, Muhsinov has conducted research at the Fuccillo Lab, which examines the neural circuits and behavioral controls animals use to make decisions and investigates how disruptions in these circuits may contribute to neurodevelopmental disorders.
Muhsinov specifically studies “striatal interneurons and their contributions to value-based decision-making” and is interested in their potential implication on autism research.
He expressed gratitude for the mentors who have helped him “grow as a scientist” in the lab — including sixth-year M.D. and Ph.D. candidate Evan Iliakis.
Iliakis told the DP that Muhsinov’s research deals with a “complicated” field that involves “basic” sciences — such as biology and physics — and extends to computer science.
“He’s done a really good job bridging these disparate fields together,” Iliakis said. “He’s been involved above and beyond any undergrad I’ve worked with, making the time, making the effort, becoming more independent, asking questions, and even taking over his own project.”
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Muhsinov is also involved with the Vagelos Molecular Life Sciences Program, which allows scholars to complete stipend-supported projects in the basic and natural sciences. Muhsinov said that Vagelos MLS has emphasized the importance of “having a very strong physical science and quantitative reasoning background” — which he highlighted in his scholarship application.
At Cambridge, Muhsinov plans to focus on translational autism research. He will be working under psychologist Simon Baron-Cohen — who contributed to recent research discoveries about sex-based differences in brain structure that are present from birth — at the Autism Research Centre.
Muhsinov told the DP that there are many “enticing” new projects at the institution that involve investigating the links between autism and certain hormones and genetics.
“I don’t even think it really hit me that I'm going to be at this really big autism research center,” he added. “I’m pretty excited to keep continuing that advance of a theory that was kind of born out of the institution I’m going to be in.”
The Gates Cambridge Class of 2026 will consist of a total of 76 scholars once 50 more scholars-elect are selected from across the world in April. Of the 26 U.S. scholars, 16 will pursue Ph.D.s and 10 will complete one-year master’s degrees.
