Arkesh Das

More about me

What is your hometown?

Troy, MI

What is your major and anticipated graduation?

Biochemistry/Biotechnology (Spring 2025 if I only get a biochem degree and data sci minor, Spring 2026 if I also get a data science degree, so not really sure yet)

How did you decide to attend MSU?

I was a runner-up in the Alumni Distinguished Scholarship competition, and I was also accepted into the Professorial Assistantship program through the honors college. Both of these opportunities greatly influenced my decision to attend MSU, which has allowed me to challenge myself and explore a wide variety of my interests in a way that I don’t think I would quite be able to had I chosen to go elsewhere.

How did you select your major?

I’ve always been interested in learning, more specifically trying to understand the underlying mechanisms behind the things we see in our everyday lives. I’ve been also always been interested in a lot of different the different sciences, from psychology to theoretical physics. Because of this I had a really hard time narrowing down what major I wanted to pursue. I think that biotechnology is a very rewarding major for me because it is the intersection of so many of the different natural sciences, from obviously biology and chemistry to things like genomics, bioinformatics and data science.

Can you describe your research?

My plant genetics research is focused on engineering sorghum (which is a plant in the same family as corn) to make highly valuable chemicals called terpenes. My psychology project is focused on using probability to understand how people make and apply stereotypes.

What is the societal impact of your research?

Terpenes are a very broad class of biochemically active molecules, and they’re used in things from perfumes, to flavorings to even pharmaceuticals. Making these terpenes is very difficult using normal chemical reactions, which makes them very rare and expensive. Thankfully, a lot of terpenes are also made naturally in plants. If we can figure out the genes that are responsible for making taxol, then we could make strains of sorghum that make taxol. These strains could be easily grown and harvested, thereby making taxol treatment less expensive and more widely accessible for those who need it.

How has your undergraduate experience been impacted by this experience?

Because of the pandemic, I never really had the opportunity to take part in a lot of the “hands-on” experiences in most of my labs and classes. All the “virtual labs” that we would end up having to do were essentially just watching a video over Zoom of someone doing the procedure that we were learning about. As someone who learns best from actually “doing” things, I felt that this kind of created a disconnect between what we were learning and its significance. Learning about techniques like gel electrophoresis and restriction enzyme digests really just felt like memorizing arbitrary steps, and because of that I’d usually just end up forgetting about them completely the week after we were tested on them. Fortunately, with COVID (hopefully) being behind us, this year I’ve had the opportunity to work in a research lab where I use those techniques that we learned nearly everyday. When I learned about PCR, primer construction or DNA replication in my previous classes none of it really made sense to me. But when we went over those topics last Wednesday in my plant genetics class, it sort of just clicked. While I still find myself having to look back at my sticky notes for the exact specifics for different protocols, I think that the hands-on experience I’ve gained from applying them in the lab has allowed me to better solidify my knowledge.

Of everything you have experienced at MSU, what has surprised you the most/what is something you never expected?

I think I’ve been most surprised at the sheer volume and variety of research that goes on at MSU. Just from walking around at UURAF this year, I saw so many different projects from a variety of different fields from criminal justice projects studying incarcerated youths to projects modeling the spread of certain diseases though mosquitoes. I’ve also really enjoyed how easy most of my professors have been to talk to and to collaborate with.

If your little brother/sister was coming to MSU, what is one piece of advice you would give them?

If my little sister was coming to MSU, I would tell her to not restrict her self to only doing things solely to benefit her future career goals. Some of the most meaningful experiences that I’ve had so far at MSU and some of the most exciting opportunities that I’ve been able to take part in only came up because I chose to pursue niche things. For example, my psychology project was originally a research proposal that I wrote as an honors option for a psychology elective that I took last semester.

Person/People who have inspired you?

My mom and the work she does as a paraprofessional helping kids with special needs, my high-school swim coach, my high school honors biology teacher and my 12th grade English teacher.

What major research breakthrough of the next decade (not your own, but overall) do you think we will see?

I am both concerned and curious of the inevitable creation of an Artificial General Intelligence in the next decade. Much like the creation and proliferation of the internet, I know that the creation of an AGI will radically change the structure of every aspect of out lives.

Plans after graduation?

I know that I will probably continue education beyond my undergraduate degree, whether it be in grad school or medical school.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Aside from continuing my education, I see myself engaging with my current interests and hobbies, I hope that I’ll still be swimming at least once a week, working with kids, either as a volunteer or mentor and learning more the contemporary medicinal properties of plants and plant derived compounds.

Where do you see yourself in 25 years

I hope that I’ll be pursing a career that involves me helping people, giving back to the community, and continuing to challenge myself and learning new things. I hope that by this point I will have also gained meaningful experiences that I can pass down to the next generation of learners, who will be in my shoes, just as my mentors have done for me.

What are some of your favorite MSU memories?

Helping fundraise for Spartython: a 10 hour dance marathon for Children’s Miracle Network, having a karaoke night for my friend’s birthday, staying up with friends for the mid-night scream during finals week, spontaneous midnight trips to Denny’s, and having a thanksgiving potluck with my lab.

What is the Importance of this scholarship to you personally and to your future career?

I hope that as a Dean’s Research Scholar I will be able to both understand the effects of my research in a greater context and develop my communication skills, which will not only allow me to proficiently communicate my research experiences, but also become an effective speaker overall. No matter what kind of field I end up going into, I know it’ll be important for me to employ the experiences I will have as a Dean’s Research scholar to become an skilled public speaker.