Researcher biography
During my teenage years, I participated in various volunteer programs and interacted with culturally and socially diverse populations. After volunteering with underprivileged kids from the Bronx and at an orphanage in Nepal, I developed a desire to facilitate the development of disadvantaged communities. Through extensive travel, I have come to realise how much we need innovative ideas that can provide unique solutions to the challenges we face. I also have a fascination with the complexity of brain and how it modulates all human behaviours. As I result, I am now a PhD candidate at the Queensland Brain Institute. My research focuses on the role of oestrogen and selective oestrogen receptor modulators (a class of drugs that act on oestrogen receptors) during adolescence, on behaviours relevant to schizophrenia. After my PhD, I hope to eventually work with national and global organisations to develop and implement strategies to promote mental health well-being.
Kara's principal advisor is Professor Harvey Alick Whiteford.