Smithika Karru is an undergraduate student at Rutgers University. She is a third year premedical student majoring in Cell Biology & Neuroscience and minoring in Psychology. As a research assistant, she is working on the Natriuretic peptide type C and the somatic control of oocyte meiotic arrest under the training of Dr.Xiao and postdoc Li Chen. She is also currently focusing on developing the in vivo heat stress and HAB-induced effects on mice ovaries and follicles project, and other potential projects.