The University of Alabama Archives

Miriam Anderson is a multimedia artist and graduate of The University of Alabama, where she majored in creative media with a minor in The Blount Scholars Program. Her work bridges the worlds of Bharatanatyam dance and film, reflecting her commitment to both performance and storytelling across disciplines.

After training for five years under Sheila Rubin at Natyananda Dance Company in Birmingham, Alabama, Miriam made her Bharatanatyam arangetram (debut) in June 2024. She has performed in diverse settings, including opening for spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar at the BJCC and participating in the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s cultural program. She has also represented Natyananda at the Freeform program with The Dance Foundation. Miriam completed the Warrier Foundation Residency from Coimbatore, India, where she immersed herself in the practice and philosophy of Bharatanatyam. In the spring of 2024, she served as lighting designer and stage manager for the U.S. tour of the renowned Bharatanatyam artist Rama Vaidyanathan, where she was part of productions such as New Dimensions and Ratna Garbha.

Miriam’s interdisciplinary practice allows her to merge cultural research, choreographic exploration, and visual media. Whether behind the camera or on stage, she is drawn to projects that invite reflection, preserve tradition, and build new paths for creative engagement. Her work exemplifies a commitment to honoring classical forms while reimagining how they can speak to contemporary audiences.

For her Fulbright-Nehru project, Miriam is studying Bharatanatyam in Delhi. Her project is exploring the expressive and technical depth of Bharatanatyam, with a focus on breath, alignment, and the creation of original choreography. Drawing from her training and experiences as a non-Indian dancer, she is also involved in producing a series of video essays documenting her artistic process and transformation. These essays attempt to offer a behind-the-scenes look at artistic development, cultural immersion, and the disciplined practice of Bharatanatyam as a living, evolving art form rooted in tradition and personal devotion.

Dr. Ravikumar Majeti (cited as Kumar MNVR) is a distinguished university research professor, assistant vice president for interdisciplinary research, and founding director of the Center for Convergent Bioscience and Medicine at The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa. He is internationally recognized as a leading authority on nanomedicine, with a research portfolio spanning drug delivery, therapeutic repurposing, and personalized treatment strategies for chronic diseases.

Dr. Majeti’s academic journey began with a BSc in physical sciences from A.J. Kalasala, Machilipatnam, Andhra Pradesh, followed by an MSc in applied chemistry from SGSITS, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, and a PhD in drug delivery from IIT Roorkee.

Prior to his appointment at Alabama, he held academic positions at Texas A&M University, College Station; the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK; and the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Mohali, India.

Dr. Majeti’s research focuses on the mechanisms of transcytosis at the intestine–blood barrier leading to the development of tunable, biodegradable nanoparticles for the oral delivery of poorly bioavailable small-molecule drugs and drug-like compounds (https://sites.ua.edu/dreamlab/). His patented delivery platforms have shown substantial efficacy in preclinical models of diabetic complications, lupus, and acute kidney injury, offering precision therapies where standard treatments are inadequate or unavailable.

As a dedicated mentor and scientific leader, Dr. Majeti has fostered international collaborations, guided the growth of early-career researchers, and spearheaded high-impact interdisciplinary programs supported by leading global funding agencies. His work has significantly advanced both the fundamental science and clinical translation of next-generation drug delivery systems.

For his Fulbright-Nehru project, Dr. Majeti is investigating the therapeutic promise of plant-based polyphenolic nutraceuticals through interdisciplinary collaboration at the crossroads of biomaterials and medicine. Focusing on oral bioavailability, a central challenge in the field, he is designing nano-engineered delivery systems to improve the efficacy of compounds such as Urolithin A. By integrating fundamental research with applied testing in models of chronic metabolic diseases, Dr. Majeti seeks to bridge laboratory innovation with clinical relevance. His work aims to realize the untapped potential of nutraceuticals and advances them as viable tools in the prevention and management of modern chronic health conditions.