Deans’ Summer Research Fellowship (DSRF) Story: Giovana da Silva

Author: Giovana da Silva

What was your major research question for the DSRF project and where do you hope this project will go?

This summer, my major research question for the DSRF project was whether we could develop and refine behavioral methods that might serve as a complementary tool for tinnitus detection. Through this work, I not only learned more about how academic research is conducted but also gained hands-on experience with specialized behavioral software. Our initial results were promising, suggesting that this approach could indeed provide valuable insights alongside current detection methods. I also discovered the potential of integrating machine learning and more specific behavioral measures into the software, which excites me as a future direction. Moving forward, I hope to reproduce our experiment to validate the hypothesis and establish the reliability and consistency of our data. Once this foundation is secured, I aim to leverage the software’s full capabilities to identify trends and patterns that could help shape a novel approach for detecting tinnitus.

What challenges did you encounter during your research and how did you work through these difficulties?

One of the main challenges I faced during this project was dealing with missing or low-quality trials, which delayed some of our planned experiments. To address this, I had to be patient and carefully redo the trials, paying extra attention to following each step of the procedure to ensure higher data quality. Another difficulty came from handling the animals: after being injected with the drug that mimicked tinnitus, they often became very aggressive and moved quickly, which made injections and tracking more challenging. To improve, I gained more practice with animal handling and restraining techniques before the actual trials, which built my confidence and precision. I also reached out directly to the software company to better understand how to optimize the system’s settings for animal recognition, which helped improve the quality of our recordings. These experiences taught me the importance of persistence and knowing when to seek guidance from experts when needed.

What sparked your interest in this field?

My interest in neuroscience began with a curiosity about how invisible conditions can so profoundly shape people’s lives, and tinnitus stood out to me as one of the most striking examples. This often-debilitating disorder disrupts daily life for millions, yet there is still no FDA-approved drug available, which makes the search for innovative approaches all the more urgent.

Curious about DSRF?

This project was made possible through the Deans’ Summer Research Fellowship (DSRF)—a unique opportunity for rising juniors and seniors in the Trinity College of Arts & Sciences to pursue funded summer research full-time!