Gaurav Gupta

Gaurav Gupta, a senior majoring in biomedical engineering, is among 31 "New Americans" who have been named Soros Fellows for 2007. Now in its 10th year, the Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship program was founded to assist immigrants and their children to prepare for opportunities for leadership in their various fields in the United States.

Now 21 years old, Gupta was born and raised in McLean, Va. His parents, both Indian, immigrated to this country four years before he was born and have since become American citizens.

The fellows receive for two years one-half of the tuition cost of their graduate study at any institution of higher education in the United States, as well as a maintenance grant of $20,000 per year. Gupta will graduate in May with both bachelor's and master's degrees and plans to attend medical school in September.

While at Johns Hopkins, Gupta says he came to view scientific research and medical device development as avenues through which he could work to improve the lives of others. Having conducted cardiovascular physiology research since his freshman year, he has been listed as a co-author on three academic publications to date and led a research team in pursuit of a novel drug to combat heart disease. He also used his engineering background to develop medical devices to meet pressing clinical needs, including a method for the early detection of preterm labor and an implant for elderly patients with spinal fractures. He has twice won the Hopkins Business Plan Competition and has filed two patents on his academic work. He also has assisted physicians in providing medical treatment to Baltimore's homeless and uninsured populations.

Gupta says that he sees his future as a physician not only in terms of practice and scientific research but also in terms of "leadership in social activism and patient advocacy."

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