GU Student Wins Goldwater Scholarship for Disease Research

Ishaan Sharma, a junior at Georgetown University, received the prestigious $7,500 award for his work on neurodegenerative diseases.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 3:24am

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A highly structured, abstract painting in soft earth tones featuring sweeping geometric arcs, concentric circular patterns, and precise botanical spirals, conceptually representing the complex processes and structures involved in neurodegenerative disease research.A visually striking abstract painting captures the intricate complexity and interconnectedness of neurodegenerative disease research, reflecting the ambitious work of a young Georgetown scholar.Georgetown Today

A Georgetown University junior and neurodegenerative disease researcher, Ishaan Sharma, has won the Barry Goldwater Scholarship, a prestigious annual grant for research-based careers. Sharma, who has studied neurodegenerative diseases at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) since his first year at Georgetown, received the $7,500 award to cover academic expenses and professional networking opportunities.

Why it matters

The Goldwater Scholarship is a highly competitive and prestigious award that recognizes outstanding undergraduate students who show exceptional promise in research careers in the natural sciences, engineering, and mathematics. Sharma's achievement highlights the research opportunities available at Georgetown University and the importance of undergraduate research in developing the next generation of scientific leaders.

The details

Sharma, who is Georgetown's 51st Goldwater Scholar, will join this year's cohort of 453 other scholars. At the NIH, he investigates how spinal-bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA), a rare neurodegenerative disease, develops and degenerates by examining and marking tissue samples, aiming to help identify a treatment. At the Georgetown Pak Lab, Sharma researches memory formation and preservation, as well as memory disorders and loss. Sharma said he hopes his current research on neurodegenerative diseases will fill a gap in current treatment pathways.

  • Sharma received the Goldwater Scholarship on April 2, 2026.
  • Sharma has been studying neurodegenerative diseases at the NIH since his first year at Georgetown.

The players

Ishaan Sharma

A junior at Georgetown University who won the prestigious Barry Goldwater Scholarship for his research on neurodegenerative diseases.

Christopher Grunseich

An NIH investigator who has been mentoring Sharma in his research.

Daniel Pak

A professor of pharmacology and physiology at Georgetown University and the principal investigator of the Pak Lab, where Sharma conducts research.

Harry Sun

A Georgetown University student who won the Goldwater Scholarship the previous year and provided advice to Sharma.

Bill Cessato

The deputy director of Georgetown's Center for Research and Fellowships, who praised Sharma's achievement.

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What they’re saying

“These are the guys on the front lines, they're running active clinical trials, they're advising the president, they're really on the forefront of most of the major advances we have. It's a really important community to be part of and being able to actually meet these people and learn from them, and you're assigned a mentor — that's important for me, because you can't do things on your own.”

— Ishaan Sharma, Goldwater Scholar

“Ishaan has been very much a quick study and picking up a lot of the techniques, so we've been working together in interpreting and understanding the significance of the findings that he's been characterizing in the lab. We've been brainstorming different next steps to take, so we've been working together to come up with a plan for how we're going to systematically characterize a number of these protein targets and the tissues.”

— Christopher Grunseich, NIH Investigator

“I think he's going to do really amazing things in the future. He is probably one of the most ambitious students I've had, because he's never really satisfied, he always wants to do more and also one of the most persevering students as well because he was trying to do something that was really challenging, really difficult for his project, and it was just not working and not working. He was never fazed, he just kept trying different things, thinking about alternative approaches, kind of independently, and, through creativity and hard work, he eventually got a successful result in this.”

— Daniel Pak, Professor of Pharmacology and Physiology

“It's a huge achievement, and it would definitely be helpful as he considers the next steps in his research career, whether that's Ph.D and M.D./Ph.D or beyond. I would advise him to reflect on his journey so far in research and come back to the essay he wrote for the application because I found that going back to the research and what I had written about had really helped me think about further applications and further career stuff.”

— Harry Sun, Previous Goldwater Scholar

“The scholarship is designed to train the next generation of scientists who are going to lead and excel in their fields, and I think, as an undergrad, research develops a lot of important skills. In addition to the nuts and bolts of conducting research, research is kind of about determining truth, causality, and I think this is increasingly important because of the dissemination of disinformation and learning how to be critical when you're examining data.”

— Daniel Pak, Professor of Pharmacology and Physiology

What’s next

Sharma said he is looking forward to the scholarship's financial and professional benefits, including attending events in Washington, D.C. and Boston to network with other Goldwater Scholars and continue developing his research career.

The takeaway

Ishaan Sharma's Goldwater Scholarship win highlights the importance of undergraduate research opportunities in developing the next generation of scientific leaders. His dedication and perseverance in tackling complex challenges in neurodegenerative disease research exemplify the kind of ambitious and critical thinking the Goldwater Scholarship aims to cultivate.