Arun Asok, PhD
I’m currently pursuing an MBA and MA in International Relations at Johns Hopkins University, where I’m blending business acumen with a deep understanding of global affairs. My research background is rooted in exploring how the brain processes fear, stress, memory, and trauma through advanced neuroscience techniques. This work has led to over 30 publications, some in prestigious journals such as Trends in Neurosciences, Nature and Cell, as well as numerous interviews (e.g., MIT Technology Review, Disney/Nutopia, etc.).
In addition to human factors consulting, I founded Alien Therapeutics Inc. in 2022 - a biotechnology company focused on developing innovative Circular RNA therapies and computational diagnostics. Before that, I served as a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Wisconsin, where I led my own research lab. I completed my postdoctoral training under Nobel Laureate Dr. Eric R. Kandel during my time at Columbia University and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
I hold a Ph.D. in Neuroscience and Psychology from the University of Delaware and a B.S. in the same fields from Temple University. Additionally, I hold certificates in Data Science from IBM, Cybersecurity from Google, and AI Engineering from IBM. I also serve as an Associate Editor for Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience.