Aditi Merchant

Aditi Merchant, from Austin, Texas, is pursuing a PhD in bioengineering at Stanford School of Engineering. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in biomedical engineering from the University of Texas at Austin, where she was a Forty Acres and Stamps Scholar. Looking forward, Aditi is interested in improving the quality of life for older adults through both a scientific and social lens by developing novel gene therapies to treat neurodegenerative disease and pioneering intergenerational learning opportunities. At UT, Aditi developed nanoparticles for the delivery of RNA and CRISPR therapeutics to the brain. She also co-founded Big & Mini, a nonprofit that connects older adults and college students to combat loneliness. Her work with Big & Mini has reached over 10,000 individuals globally and been featured in more than 50 media outlets, including The Today Show. She is a Gen2Gen Fellow, Guleke Student Excellence Award Recipient, and Austin Inno 25 Under 25.