Hello, my name is Jaideep Seth and I am a third-year Eminence Fellow at The Ohio State University, as well as a National Stamps Foundation Scholar. Currently, I am studying Biochemistry and History. Ever since I was younger, I have always been interested in science and medicine, and I plan to apply to medical school in the future. Pertaining to medicine, I am not sure what specific career path I would like to settle in, although I could also see myself participating in medical research and obtaining an MD-PhD. History has always been a passion of mine, and I would like to develop my historical skills with research projects during my undergraduate career.

I am currently conducting historical research with Dr. Thomas McDow of the Department of History. Our research focuses on Indian medical school graduates from the University of Bombay’s Grant Medical College during the later 19th century. We have placed the results of this research in an interactive map and experience that shows each individual’s location throughout their lifetime. Through this work, we hope to make conclusions about Western-educated Indians during the British Raj in India. We are now beginning a new project to analyze the early history of Grant Medical College.

Through the Honors & Scholars Center’s International Research Grant, I was able to travel to London and Edinburgh this summer to further this historical research project. In August of 2022, I spent two weeks in the United Kingdom traveling to different libraries to search through archival records pertaining to my project. This was an amazing experience that provided many resources for the existing project and led me to begin a new project.

I am also involved in scientific lab research with Dr. Amanda Panfil of the Department of Retrovirology. Our lab focuses on work with the human retrovirus, HTLV-I. This retrovirus causes a form of leukemia in some affected individuals and is endemic in Japan, the Caribbean, parts of Africa, and Australia. I am currently working on a project to study the cellular oncoprotein, YBX1, that is known to interact with the HTLV-1 viral proteins. Understanding the relationship between these proteins will be key to understanding how the virus replicates and causes cancer.

In addition to my academics, I have also been a violinist in The Ohio State University’s Symphony Orchestra. I have been playing the violin for 10 years and I perform in full concerts and solos, including performances for churches and weddings. In my free time, I love to work out, watch college football and basketball, spend time with my two dogs, and play basketball and football with my friends. Some other minor hobbies that I have picked up over the past years include 3D-printing random objects, solving a Rubik’s Cube, and recording songs for my friend who is an up-and-coming artist.