Meet one of our 2026 Fellows, Ashwini Prasad, PhD! She is a student of Genetics and Genomics at Baylor College of Medicine in Dr. Tom Cooper’s lab in Houston, TX.

She studies myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1), focusing on how loss of MBNL function drives RNA-binding protein dysregulation and skeletal muscle pathology. She holds a Bachelor's of Science in Microbiology, Zoology, and Chemistry and an Masters of Science in Human Disease Genetics from the Centre for Human Genetics, India. Her experience spans molecular genetics, cytogenetics, translational research, and AI-assisted chromosome modeling.

Her project aims to define HNRNPA1’s role in DM1 and clarify mechanisms that influence disease progression and severity. The fellowship will support her DM1 research and engagement with patients, advancing her goal of developing RNA-based therapies and a career in translational science.

Click here to learn more about MDF's research funding opportunities and prior grant recipients.