UChicago student named 2026 Gates Cambridge Scholar

University of Chicago fourth-year student Prithi Srinivasan has been named a 2026 Gates Cambridge Scholar and will pursue a Ph.D. in cell biology at the University of Cambridge this fall. She is one of just 26 students in the United States to earn the award, which aims to build a global network of future leaders committed to improving the lives of others.

Though preparing to graduate from UChicago in June with degrees in biology and chemistry, Srinivasan admits this was not always her plan. She said her experiences in the Core curriculum changed her path as a first-year student.

“When I first came to UChicago, I wasn’t going to major in the sciences at all,” Srinivasan said. “The Advanced Biology sequence completely altered my perspective, and I found an unexpected beauty in thinking about how to probe complex biological processes. I changed my major as soon as the quarter was over.”

A Quad Undergraduate Research Scholar, Srinivasan has worked in the lab of Alexander Ruthenberg, an associate professor of molecular genetics and cell biology, for the past four years. While the group aims to understand how gene expression is physically and spatially regulated in the nucleus, Srinivasan credits Ruthenburg for allowing her to direct her research questions more broadly.

"I study nuclear transport, the process by which proteins are brought into and out of the nucleus to regulate gene expression,” she said. "In looking more at how proteins are actually 'picked up,' before they are brought to their final destinations, I've been looking at things from a more holistic perspective, to consider the amount of communication that exists between cellular compartments."

In recognition of her high potential as a researcher, Srinivasan was named a Barry Goldwater Scholar last summer. As for her Ph.D., Srinivasan will be studying at Trinity College, a constituent college of Cambridge. She will be working in the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology trying to understand the mechanisms of RNA translocation in cells, a process especially important in defining cell patterning and fate specification. It’s something that excites her, and she plans on taking advantage of the network of scientists she will be working with daily.

“I’m looking forward to joining this community of scholars and being able to work with biologists, chemists, and even physicists who are leaders in their fields,” Srinivasan said. “I think these kinds of connections are needed, to develop new experimental methods, and even to arrive at the most interesting questions.”

While the Gates Cambridge scholarship will help her develop her scientific skills, she also hopes to use the opportunity as a platform to push for increased accessibility in science education.

“Providing students hands-on opportunities to get excited about science, in the classroom and in the community at large is something that I hope to do throughout my career as a future professor and research investigator,” Srinivasan said.

There will be more than just academics during her adventure, however. Beyond the history and legacy that Cambridge and the area around the university offer, she also hopes to connect with her new home through craft.

“I love to knit and have loved being able to peruse the yarn stores in the area,” said Srinivasan. “It will definitely be nice to use a local wool blend on my next piece.”

Srinivasan was supported by the Office of National Fellowships in the College Center for Research and Fellowships, which guides candidates through rigorous application processes and interview preparation for nationally competitive awards like Gates Cambridge. The Center’s team helps students identify and articulate how their unique talents and distinctive paths prepare them to realize a better world.