Meet Murari Ambati | Researcher & Innovator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Murari Ambati and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Murari, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
The most important factor behind my success has always been my willingness to push my limits. Every time I’ve reached a boundary whether creative, technical, or mental, I’ve treated it as an invitation to go further. Growth happens right at the edge of discomfort, and I’ve learned to live there. Whether it’s building something new, exploring new ideas, or rethinking what’s possible, I keep pushing past what feels safe. That mindset has shaped everything I’ve done and continues to drive me forward.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
As a researcher, my work centers on epigenetic reprogramming, the process of rewriting the molecular instructions that determine how genes are expressed without altering the DNA itself. I study how cellular memory can be reset to restore youthfulness, resilience, and adaptability in biological systems. What excites me most is how this field blurs the line between biology and design: we’re learning not just to read life’s code, but to rewrite it. The work is challenging and deeply humbling, but it offers a glimpse into a future where regeneration and repair aren’t miracles; they’re mechanisms we understand and can guide responsibly.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend were visiting Houston for a week, I’d want them to see the city through the same lens I do. We’d begin with a trip to NASA’s Johnson Space Center, because there’s nothing more humbling than standing in the birthplace of human space exploration. From there, dinner at Nobie’s in Montrose would set the tone for the week. The next few days would unfold through Houston’s Museum District, exploring the Museum of Fine Arts, the Health Museum, and the Museum of Natural Science, before wandering Hermann Park at sunset.

Midweek, we’d dive into the city’s experimental side at POST Houston, a creative hub full of rooftop gardens, installations, and food vendors that feel like a miniature world fair. Evenings would be for live music at The Continental Club, a Houston classic where the city’s soul comes alive. I’d carve out time for Buffalo Bayou, whether for kayaking or just walking the trails.

Later in the week, I’d take them through Rice University’s campus, where the James Turrell Skyspace installation offers a quiet, meditative moment amid the chaos. The nearby Menil Collection and Rothko Chapel would deepen that stillness. Evenings in the Heights, Rosie Cannonball for dinner, Better Luck Tomorrow for drinks, would bring warmth and laughter. Before the trip ends, we’d explore EaDo for street art and underground galleries, stopping by Tiny Champions for pizza and AvantGarden for poetry and live music under the stars. We’d end at the Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern, an underground reservoir turned art space that feels both ancient and futuristic.

Most importantly I want my friend to feel the pulse of a city constantly reinventing itself, quietly and beautifully.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
When reflecting on the journey behind my success, there’s one organization that deserves a special acknowledgment: the NOVA Policy Network. Their work and the people within it, have profoundly shaped how I think about innovation, responsibility, and the intersection between technology and humanity.

NOVA Policy Network is a movement dedicated to advancing ethical cognitive enhancement through evidence-based policy. Their initiatives span everything from regulatory frameworks for neurotechnologies and mind–machine interfaces to the creation of global ethical guidelines for emerging enhancement tools.

My connection to NOVA Policy Network has been transformative. Their intellectual rigor, collaborative spirit, and commitment to ethical innovation have continually inspired me to think beyond creation, to consider consequence, governance, and the collective impact of technological progress.

This shoutout is for everyone in NOVA, thinkers, researchers, policy designers, and dreamers, who are helping shape a future where intelligence meets integrity, and advancement is guided by ethics as much as by ambition.

Website: https://murariambati.github.io/portfolioweb/#

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/murari-ambati-8047312b5/

Image Credits
NOVA Policy Network Curriculum, Image with co-founder of NOVA Policy Network