Ashish Bhandari

Experienced Graduate Teaching Assistant with MS in Biological sciences and demonstrated history of working in academia and research. Passionate about microscopy and experienced in developmental biology, enhanced with skills in patch clamp electrophysiology, optogenetics, optic neurodegeneration models, and an extensive experience in cell culture, and microbiological techniques. Research goals focused on understanding plasticity in the visual system in response to injury and disease.

• UNMC Assistantships/FeIIowships - University of Nebraska Medical Center - 2020. 2-year Graduate Fellowship based on internal peer reviewed research proposal.
• Travel Award and Scholarship - Jackson Laboratory. Travel award scholarship to attend 'The Whole Scientist 2019' in Jackson Laboratory, Maine, USA.
• Travel Award and Scholarship - The Jackson Laboratory. Travel award to attend The Whole Scientist 2018 at Jackson Laboratory, Maine, USA.
• Presidential Graduate Fellowship - University of Houston Aug 2015 - Aug 2017. 2-year fellowship awarded to students with outstanding achievements evaluated by the admissions committee.
• Collegiate Ambassador for Peace - Universal Peace Federation and World Collegiate Association for the Research of Principles - 2015.
• Merit based Undergraduate Tuition Scholarship - SANN International College - 2013.

Publications

• “Structural and Functional Plasticity in the Dorsolateral Geniculate Nucleus of Mice following Bilateral Enucleation”, Neuroscience, 4 February 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.01.029
• “Early-Stage Ocular Hypertension Alters Retinal Ganglion Cell Synaptic Transmission in the Visual Thalamus”, Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, 19th September 2019. https://doi.org/10.3389/fncel.2019.00426

• The Whole Scientist - Jackson Laboratory, Maine, USA, May 2019.
• UNMC International Student Ambassador - University of Nebraska Medical Center, Nebraska, USA, 2019.
• The Whole Scientist - Jackson Laboratory, Maine, USA, May 2018.
• Student Leadership Camp: Student Seminar Towards Responsible Leadership - Youth Initiative, Kathmandu, Nepal, August 2008.
• General Member - Youth Initiative, Kathmandu, Nepal, 2008 - 2012.
• Civic Leadership School - Youth Initiative, Kathmandu, Nepal, December 2009.
• Joint Treasurer - Youth Initiative, Kathmandu, Nepal, 2010 - 2012.
• Trainer of Trainers (TOT): Life Skills Development Program - Youth Initiative, Kathmandu, Nepal, June 2011.
• General Member - American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2015

• Conference Talk - Bhandari, A.; Smith, J. , Van Hook, Matthew J. , "Bilateral enucleations alters the intrinsic excitability of thalamocortical neurons in the dLGN", University of Nebraska Medical Center, Jun 2020.
• Conference Talk - Bhandari, A.; Smith, J., Van Hook, Matthew J., "Bilateral enucleations alters the intrinsic excitability of thalamocortical neurons in the dLGN", Biotechnology Society of Nepal (BSN), Jun 2020.
• Conference Poster - Bhandari, A.: Smith, J., Van Hook, Matthew J., "Bilateral enucleations alters the intrinsic excitability of thalamocortical neurons in the dLGN", The University of Iowa Medical Education and Research Facility, Aug 2019.
• Conference Poster - Bhandari, A.; Smith, J., Van Hook, Matthew J., "Bilateral enucleations alters the intrinsic excitability of thalamocortical neurons in the dLGN", University of Nebraska Medical Center, Jun 2019.
• Conference Poster - Bhandari, A.; Smith, J., Van Hook, Matthew J., "Bilateral enucleations alters the intrinsic excitability of thalamocortical neurons in the dLGN", Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO), April 2019.
• Conference Poster - Bhandari, A.; Smith, J., Van Hook, Matthew J., "Inhibitory and Excitatory Inputs to Alpha Retinal Ganglion Cells are Unaffected in a Mouse Model of Ocular Hypertension”, The University of Iowa Medical Education and Research Facility, Aug 2018.
• Conference Poster – “Molecular Characterization of in-vitro propagated orchids using RAPD”, International Conference on Biotechnology – Nepal, Jan 2015.
• Conference Poster – “Bioactivity of phytochemical extracts from Taxus wallichiana Zucc.Conference Poster - Bioactivity of phytochemical extracts from Taxus wallichiana Zucc.”, National Conference on Biotechnology – Nepal, Jan 2014.
• Conference Poster - Bhandari, A.; Lamichhane, N.; Lamichhane, S.; Shakya, P., "An efficient method for genomic DNA extraction from silica dried leaves of Taxus sps", National Conference on Biotechnology – Nepal, Jan 2013.