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Benjamin Cocanougher
- Alumni
- United States
- 2016 PhD Zoology
- St Catharine's College
I grew up catching praying mantises and damselflies in rural Kentucky. As an undergraduate at Centre College, I majored in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; I spent my summers taking care of sick children at the Center for Courageous Kids and doing research in organic chemistry and neuroscience. I matriculated directly to the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and completed my first three years of medical school. I then moved to Janelia Research Campus as a HHMI Medical Research Fellow; there I studied the neural and genetic bases of behavior. As a PhD student in Zoology, I will study adaptive behavior. All animals integrate information about past experience into future decisions; this is the basis of learning and memory. I am proposing to write a specific memory and read the memory trace in the brain. I will use the fruit fly as a model organism. By understanding mechanisms of memory storage, we can begin to investigate changes in memory formation in disease; this may allow us to develop rational therapies for disorders of memory formation, including autism and Alzheimer’s disease. After completing my PhD, I will return to finish my last year of medical school and pursue a career as a child neurologist and neuroscientist, using my lab to better understand the patients I see in clinic.
Previous Education
Centre College
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Latest News
Celebrating agricultural innovation in Africa
A foundation started by a Gates Cambridge Scholar is leading a Cambridge Festival event in March to celebrate agricultural innovation in Africa where a new project on food security will be launched. The Agri-Innovation & Impact Project (AGRIIP) will be launched at the Roots of Resilience event on 27th March. It is designed to empower […]
What makes Earth tick
It was during his master’s that Alex Myhill [2022] was introduced to Earth Science and realised just how much we don’t understand about the Earth. He wanted to explore further and his PhD seeks to understand the dynamics that make the Earth tick. He is developing new techniques for the efficient computation of whole Earth […]
25th anniversary panel to speak at Cambridge Festival
Five Scholars will speak about their ideas that could change the world at this year’s Cambridge Festival as part of the ongoing celebrations for Gates Cambridge’s 25th anniversary. The Festival programme has been published today and includes the Gates Cambridge event – Ideas that could change the world – hosted by international journalist Catherine Galloway […]
Study shows need for repeated vaccines for immunocompromised people
Vaccinations alone may not be enough to protect people with compromised immune systems from infection, even if the vaccine has generated the production of antibodies, according to new research from the University of Cambridge led by a Gates Cambridge Scholar. The findings, published today in Science Advances, suggest that such individuals will need regular vaccine […]
Scholars win recognition for impact and engagement
Two Gates Cambridge Scholars have been recognised in the 2024 Cambridge Awards for Research Impact and Engagement. Stanley Onyemechalu [below right] was runner-up in the Early Career researcher category for his work on the Legacies of Biafra Heritage Project and Emma Houiellebecq was highly commended for her research on strengthening the resilience of essential services […]
Exploring the origins of snake diversity in South America
“Snakes to me are the most beautiful creatures that exist. They look so simple, but they are so complex. They can glide, swim and burrow. They are so varied. I want people to see how amazing and beautiful snakes are,” says Andrés Alfonso-Rojas [2022]. His love of snakes has fuelled his PhD in Zoology. Andrés […]
How do we learn languages?
Samuel Weiss-Cowie’s fascination with language learning began at the age of 15 when he started learning Korean. He is now in the third year of his PhD looking at how the brain learns a new language or new words in a native language. He says: “I wanted to see what was happening in the brain […]
Redefining migration for the climate change era
Ladakh is a small region where a myriad of mountain ranges meet – the Karakorum to the north, the Tibetan Plateau to the east, and it lies nestled within the Western Himalayas. Historically, Ladakh was located at a bustling intersection of Silk Road trade, but it is now situated at the crossroads of three countries […]
Innovating for sustainability in the mining industry
A Gates Cambridge Scholar has developed a course for the UN SDG Academy to help leaders in the extractive industries play their role in making the transition to more sustainable energy happen in a useful timeframe. Rob Perrons was asked to develop the online training course or MOOC on “Managing Innovation and New Technologies in […]
Understanding how the human brain learns
Ata Elbizanti [2024] is interested in understanding how learning affects brain activity, particularly in areas responsible for processing visual information and those involved in decision-making. Her aim is to improve treatments for cognitive deficits and enhance our overall understanding of the brain and how we perceive the world. Ata’s PhD in Physiology, Development and Neuroscience […]
Why small presses are vital for local knowledge production in Africa
The winner of the 2024 Nobel Prize for Literature should draw our attention to the often-forgotten power of marginal publishing outlets in the Global South. As The Guardian put it, Han Kang’s Nobel win was ‘a triumph not only for Korean literature but also a reminder of the huge reach and influence of small press […]
