Pranati Bankupalli

Pranati Bankupalli is a junior at Old Bridge High School. She is also a Junior Researcher at the New York Academy of Sciences, where she is developing an AI model to predict compounds in food waste that can be repurposed into biofuels, antioxidants, and medical treatments. She completed a project with Harvard University Global Health focused on advancing genetic literacy and serves as the International Outreach Lead for India HOSA, helping expand global engagement in health science education. Pranati is preparing to present about neurological disorders, specifically the effects of stroke on epilepsy, at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. She is the co-founder and co-president of her school’s HOSA chapter and earned second place at the HOSA International Leadership Conference as a freshman. Skilled in PCR, gel electrophoresis, ELISA, cell culture, and spectrophotometry, Pranati aspires to become a cardiac electrophysiologist in the future. She is also an accomplished Bharatanatyam dancer, having earned an Award of Excellence in the art form.