Ari Ginsparg: Moving one step closer to making a difference in the lives of those affected by conditions like narcolepsy
Meet Ari Ginsparg, a Ph.D. student whose passion for scientific research was ignited by inspiring high school teachers. From those early days, Ari's fascination with biology and chemistry propelled him towards a career in academia, leading him to enroll at the University of Alabama, Birmingham.
As a graduate student in biomedical sciences, Ari found himself drawn to the intricate world of computational drug discovery. Delving into massive datasets, Ari's work revolves around optimizing data to extract meaningful insights. It's a challenging yet fulfilling endeavor, one that requires meticulous planning and resource management. “Dealing with the massive overhead of data is a significant challenge in my field. I have to carefully manage resources and optimize the use of programs and clusters to process billions of data entries efficiently. It's a challenging task, but one that I find enjoyable and rewarding”, he said. “My thesis lab (Thyme Lab) has moved to the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, so I'm affiliated with both (UAB and UMass) in varying capacities”, he emphasized.
One of Ari's proudest moments came when he helped establish a connection between his university and the Open Science Grid (OSG), a partner supported by Computing for Humanity resources. This collaboration opened up new avenues for research, allowing Ari to leverage the computational power of OSG in his work. It was a moment of recognition for Ari, a testament to his dedication to expanding research opportunities.
Navigating the ever-evolving landscape of scientific research, Ari stays up to date with emerging trends through a mix of online research and participation in journal clubs. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic and the complexities of his thesis project, Ari remains steadfast in his commitment to advancing knowledge in his field.
Looking to the future, Ari sees himself transitioning to the private sector after completing his PhD. While he's still figuring things out, he envisions continuing his work in computational drug discovery, possibly in an industry setting where he can make a tangible impact.
Reflecting on his journey, Ari emphasizes the importance of access to resources like the Open Science Grid. From small-scale projects to large-scale endeavors, OSG provides the necessary support to researchers like Ari, enabling them to push the boundaries of scientific exploration. “My thesis project focuses on computational drug discovery, where I've developed an algorithm in the Rosetta protein modeling suite to aid in protein modeling and drug molecule matching. I'm particularly interested in addressing conditions like narcolepsy, where effective treatments are lacking. The leading cause of narcolepsy is the under activation of select protein receptors, called hypocretin receptors, located in our brains. They are receptors for a small protein called hypocretin. I am specifically interested in the receptor Hypocretin Receptor 2 (HCRTR2). When there's not enough hypocretin, it can lead to narcolepsy by there not being enough to activate the receptor a normal amount. Likewise, too much hypocretin can lead to overactivation of the receptor, which leads to insomnia. It is a balancing game. What I want to do is identify a drug that binds to these hypocretin receptors in a way to supplement deficient hypocretin and treat narcolepsy. If I'm able to identify a drug that can do this, that would help to validate that the algorithm that I have added to Rosetta works”, he said enthusiastically.
As Ari continues his research journey, his dedication to finding solutions to pressing medical challenges remains unwavering. With each discovery, he moves one step closer to making a difference in the lives of those affected by conditions like narcolepsy, driving his passion for research forward.
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