SIU PhD student Sujata Pandey wins prestigious national fellowship to advance hearing loss research
When Sujata Pandey left Nepal to pursue her graduate studies in the United States, she carried with her a deep curiosity about how science can transform lives. Today, as a fifth-year PhD candidate in pharmacology and neuroscience at SIU School of Medicine, Pandey’s journey has reached a new milestone: she has been awarded the 2025–2026 Graduate Women in Science (GWIS) National Fellowship, a highly competitive national award supporting innovative research led by women scientists.
The fellowship, valued at $9,400, will help Pandey push forward her dissertation project, which investigates how aryl hydrocarbon receptor signaling can protect and repair inner-ear hair cells damaged by noise or medication. These tiny sensory cells, once lost, cannot naturally regenerate in humans—leading to permanent hearing loss for millions worldwide.
“This fellowship gives me the freedom to keep asking deeper questions in my research,” Pandey said. “Ultimately, I want to help develop therapies that could restore hearing and improve the quality of life for so many people.”
From Kathmandu to Springfield
Pandey’s path to neuroscience began in her hometown of Kathmandu, Nepal, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy at the Institute of Medicine. She then earned a full-tuition scholarship to the University of Toledo, where she completed her master’s degree in pharmaceutical sciences, focusing on drug delivery systems.
Her interest in blending pharmacology with neuroscience led her to SIU School of Medicine in 2020. The PhD program’s dual focus—and the chance to be near her husband, also pursuing a doctorate at SIU—made it the perfect fit.
“I wanted to take my background in pharmacology to another level, and neuroscience was a field I was eager to learn,” she explained. “The program here offered both, and that interdisciplinary approach really excited me.”
Excellence in research, mentorship and experience
At SIU, Pandey works under the mentorship of Brandon Cox, PhD, a nationally recognized researcher in hearing loss and regeneration, and Shelley Tischkau, PhD, an expert on the aryl hydrocarbon receptor. Pandey has presented her work at the Association for Research in Otolaryngology (ARO) and the Society for Neuroscience (SFN) meetings, won first place in SIU’s Three-Minute Thesis competition, and earned multiple travel awards, including an NIH-sponsored workshop at The Jackson Laboratory.
In the summer of 2025, she also broadened her training through an industry internship at Enveda Inc., a biotech company in Boulder, Colorado. Selected as a toxicology intern from a pool of 92 applicants, Pandey worked closely with the company’s Non-Clinical Drug Safety and Drug Development team.
During the internship, she gained hands-on exposure to toxicology, pharmacology and PK/PD experimental design, and developed a stronger understanding of how these disciplines inform clinical trial design and first-in-human dosing. She also learned how candidate molecules progress toward Investigational New Drug (IND) submission for FDA review. A perspective that deepened her appreciation for how discoveries in the lab move into patient care.
Pandey is also committed to mentoring others. She has guided undergraduate, medical and graduate students in the lab, trained summer interns and volunteered for Brain Awareness Day, where she taught middle school students about neuroscience.
The GWIS fellowship application specifically emphasized mentorship and leadership, areas where Pandey has excelled. “I think they valued that I’ve combined strong research skills with a commitment to teaching and mentoring,” she said.
A competitive award
The GWIS National Fellowship has a long history of supporting groundbreaking research by women scientists. Each year, only about 10 fellows are selected from a pool of more than 100 applicants. Pandey first discovered the opportunity on LinkedIn, applied with encouragement from her mentors and learned of her selection this summer.
Her advisors were not surprised. “Sujata is a very talented and dedicated scientist,” said Cox. “Her work is very exciting and has the potential to make a real impact on how we treat hearing loss. This fellowship will be instrumental in completing her project and is a well-deserved recognition of her abilities.”
Pandey expects to complete her doctorate by late 2026. After graduation, she hopes to continue in academia, advancing research and teaching in pharmacology and neuroscience. For now, the GWIS fellowship allows her to stay focused on the experiments that could one day contribute to regenerative treatments for hearing loss.
Reflecting on her path from Nepal to Springfield, she says the GWIS fellowship is not just a personal achievement, but also a way to inspire others. “I want young women in science, especially those with curiosity and resilience, to see that opportunities like this are possible. With persistence and the right mentorship, you can make it happen.”
