W&L’s Sarp Sahin ’26 Earns Fulbright Cardiff University Award Sahin will continue his research of Parkinson’s disease at Cardiff University in Wales before attending medical school.

By Emily Innes Stanley
June 3, 2026

Washington and Lee University graduate Sarp Sahin ’26 has received the Fulbright Cardiff University Award to pursue a master’s degree at Cardiff University in Wales. At W&L, Sahin majored in chemistry with a minor in data science. Sahin is from Plano, Texas, and graduated from Liberty High School.

The Fulbright Cardiff University Award covers the first year of a taught master’s or research degree offered by Cardiff University. Founded in 1883, Cardiff University is the only Russell Group university in Wales, with students benefiting from outstanding research quality and reputation while enjoying a wide variety of courses that can be tailored to the students’ interests and ambitions.

“I am incredibly honored and excited to receive the Fulbright Cardiff University Award and join the Fulbright community,” said Sahin, who will pursue a Master of Philosophy in clinical neurosciences. “This award validates my research proposal’s potential to advance Parkinson’s disease studies and reflects the confidence of both the U.S. Department of State and the United Kingdom’s government in my work. Most importantly, it also recognizes the time and effort my mentors at W&L and beyond have invested in me. I’m deeply grateful for their ongoing guidance and support.”

Sahin’s research focuses on bioinformatics and biomechanics, and his current work uses bulk RNA sequencing to measure average gene activity across many cell types to better understand neurological movement disorders, particularly Parkinson’s disease. At Cardiff University, he will work with Caleb Webber, a professor at the UK Dementia Research Institute housed at Cardiff, to investigate the molecular disruptions in dopamine-producing neurons and better understand how Parkinson’s disease affects specific neurons. Webber’s expertise in deep single-cell RNA sequencing will guide Sahin’s research.

“Cardiff University is a global leader in these protocols, making it the ideal place for investigating this question,” Sahin said. “If successful, my project could have important translational implications and existing AGTR1 receptor blockers could be repurposed to protect vulnerable neurons, potentially slowing the progression of Parkinson’s in a patient.”

Sahin gained extensive research experience while at W&L, and his accomplishments include four peer-reviewed publications, four oral presentations and four poster presentations at national conferences. Most recently, he published an article as a co-first author in the peer-reviewed neuroscience journal Brain: A Journal of Neurology, in January 2026. Sahin was also named the 2026 Omicron Delta Kappa Leader of the Year for Academics and Research and received a Goldwater Scholarship in 2024.

Sahin’s W&L experience was enriched by his faculty mentors who provided continual support and guidance over the years, including Lisa Alty, the John T. Herwick, M.D. Professor of Chemistry, who introduced him to what it means to be a chemist; Kyle Friend, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry, who prepared him to be a researcher; Jeff Barnett, the S. Blount Mason Jr. Professor of Spanish, who deepened his appreciation for the humanities; James Dick, director of outdoor education and recreation, who believed in his leadership potential; and Matthew Loar, director of fellowships and student research, who helped him turn his research ambitions into reality.

“Sarp is an exceptionally bright, driven, focused and forward-thinking student,” Alty said. “He brings a positive and energetic presence to any group he is in, whether it is with fellow chemistry study buddies, research colleagues or members of the Remote Area Medical team that he leads. Sarp hopes to pursue a career in academic medicine that incorporates Parkinson’s disease research and clinical practice in neurology, and based on my thirty years of experience in advising pre-medical students at W&L, there is no doubt in my mind that he will achieve these goals.”

At W&L, Sahin was a Johnson Scholar, a cellist in the University Orchestra and the University Chamber Ensemble, a member of the social research and discussion group, and has served as a trip leader for the Appalachian Adventure Leading Edge program. He was also the founder and president of the W&L chapter of Remote Area Medical (RAM), which he considers to be his most impactful experience at W&L. “Our organization has become a cornerstone of the pre-health experience, connecting students with clinical opportunities that meaningfully serve underrepresented and uninsured communities around us,” he said.

With the Fulbright, Sahin will depart in September 2026 for his ten-month program. Upon completion of the program, Sahin plans to attend medical school.

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Washington and Lee University is proud to be included on the list of U.S. colleges and universities that produced the most 2025-2026 Fulbright U.S. Students for the eighth consecutive year.

The Fulbright Program was established more than 75 years ago to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. For more information, visit https://fulbrightprogram.org/. W&L students interested in applying for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program should contact Matthew Loar in the Houston H. Harte Center for Teaching and Learning (Leyburn 114) or by email at mloar@wlu.edu.

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