University of Helsinki
Aastha Singh is a PhD student in the Voutilainen lab where she is researching Parkinson’s disease.
Originally from India, Aastha moved to Finland 5 years ago to pursue her studies. Within the Voutilainen lab, Aastha’s research focuses on protein aggregation, a key driver of Parkinson’s disease, and drugs that could be used to prevent this process and thus treat this severe condition. As an active member of the academic community, Aastha is also involved in the teaching and supervision of undergraduate students.
Reflecting on the project, Aastha views Art Meets Science as “a great way to bridge the gap between scientific jargon and lay language and what better way to do it than through art”. The Voutilainen group has been collaborating with Lena Blankenstein-Holmström and Eva Adan and shares that “this project has been very different from my normal academic activities, and it has been refreshing to see one’s own research from the perspective of an artist and hear their interpretation of it. Something new and really fun!”
Thinking ahead to the exhibition, Aastha is excited to engage in “interesting and enriching conversation that can break barriers and incite curiosity” and meet all the participants in person.
Read more about Aastha’s research within the Voutilainen group on their website.