RIRC 2018 Summer Research Team

Each summer, RIRC hosts undergraduate students and summer interns who are interested in gaining experience in working in a lab.The 2018 summer Research Team was spectacular and included:

Bridges to the baccalaureate program

Hana Abdirahman participated in the Bridges Program to prepare to transfer to UCLA in Fall 2018 as aNeuroscience major. Hana is a first-generation college student from Somalia. She was born in the MiddleEast and her family migrated to the United States for a better future. She spent the first two years of college at MiraCosta College where she developed a particular interest in organic chemistry and biology.She says: “After I complete my undergraduate degree in Neuroscience, I plan on continuing my education by pursuing a doctorate degree in the same field. My long-term career plan is to become a researcher/professor in the neuroscience field. Neuroscience is a large field that encompasses many disciplines, but I am chiefly interested in the molecular and cellular mechanisms that are yet to be understood. In my free time I like to catch up on popular television shows, hang out with my sister and goto my favorite place in all of Southern California, the Los Angeles County Museum of Arts”.

Christy George participated in the Bridges Program to prepare to transfer to a research university for the2018-2019 academic year. Christy is 19 years old and Egyptian-American. She graduated from high school at 16 and currently attends Cerritos College as a Biology major where she earned both herAssociates in Arts in Biology and Natural Sciences at age 17. Christy plans to continue her project in OsSteward’s lab on PTEN knockdown as a means to slow neurodegeneration in a mouse model ofAlzheimer’s Disease. She says: “It is a dream come true to be able to work in AD research, as I had previously been in a club dedicated to raising money for a cure, and now I am in the lab and studying the disease first hand. In addition to research, I enjoy spending time sewing clothing, volunteering at my local hospital, and going to church. This summer has given me the opportunity to truly fall in love with the field of neuroscience and the ability to learn about what has never been seen before. I am so excited to continue my work in the lab and grow as a future neuroscientist!”

Daniela Gonzalez participated in the Bridges Program to prepare to transfer to UCI. She began her undergraduate education at Fullerton College where her passion for science was sparked by Dr. Mary Nolan-Riegle. She says: “As a first-generation Latina, going into the STEM field was only a dream, but with Dr. Nolan’s mentoring and support I made my dreams my goals”. At Fullerton College, Daniela was as a General Biology tutor and conducted biochemical research with the RAISE 2017 program at CalState Fullerton with Dr. Maria Linder. Her future plans are to continue to learn about the nervous system and innovate the physical therapy field with noninvasive techniques. “I want to focus on sports injuries and spinal cord injuries. My goal is to continue to stay humble and open minded in hopes of connecting with scientist of all generations so we can all collectively be our best”.

In addition to students in the “Bridges” program, we were fortunate to have several other very talented and dedicated summer interns (research volunteers). Most are undergraduate students at other universities who are Orange County residents and are home for the summer. Others are highly motivated high school students.

Megan Barajas is starting her senior year at Pacific Ridge High School. She says: “I chose to spend my summer working in the lab because I thought this would be a great opportunity for me, as decisions about colleges are coming soon, to explore different options and career paths I could take down the road.Working in the lab has been a really great learning experience for me and I am so happy and thankful that I have been able to be a part of this respectful and helpful work environment.”

Elan Karlin is starting his junior year at UCLA majoring in Molecular Cellular Developmental Biology. His home is in Orange County. Elan had previous experience working in labs including NAMSA MedicalResearch Organization and with an orthopedic surgeon at UCLA. He says, “Working in this lab was an enriching experience and peaked my interest in neuroscience. I gained a deeper understanding of the connections within the nervous system and the damage that spinal cord injuries may inflict. While working, I was able to gain skills in lab bench work and critical thinking that will undoubtedly translate to my research at UCLA and one day in the medical field. I am grateful for the opportunity to have worked in this lab and hopeful that I will be able to continue working in research.”

Christopher Leung is a rising senior at Valencia High School, in the city of Placentia, California. AtValencia, he is involved in the International Baccalaureate and Valencia Technology programs, the latter of which involves the completion of a 150-hour internship for the purpose of acquiring work experience and gaining exposure to potential career pathways. He says: “I have a strong desire to pursue a college major and career in the sciences, and consequently I sought to find an internship that would align with these aspirations. When I found out about this opportunity, I immediately emailed Kelly Yee with my resume and an expression of my interest in working in a laboratory environment. Although it was somewhat intimidating at first to be working in such an environment alongside individuals who are older than me, I am very happy that I have been provided such an opportunity and I realize that I am very fortunate to be able to gain real-world work experience through performing actual research at the university level. My participation in the lab as an intern this summer has provided me with new insight about this field, in addition to reaffirming my interest in pursuing a major within this discipline as I continue to progress in my studies at an institution of higher education”.

Megan McCune is an Orange County resident who is a biology major at Providence College. She will be entering her senior year this fall. She says: “My mom works as physical therapist for children with avariety of movement disorders and injuries and through this experience I became very interested in motor neuroscience. I plan to pursue graduate research after Providence and am very grateful for the opportunity to learn so much about spinal cord injury research through volunteering this summer in theSteward Lab”.

Grace Axelson is starting her junior year at UC Berkeley as an Integrative Biology major on the Human and Health Sciences track, with a minor in disability studies. She ultimately hopes to attend medical school and pursue a career in medicine. She says: “I am so thrilled to have spent my summer working in the lab. Due to my commitment and passion for science, I wanted to work in the lab over the summer in attempt to see every part of science that I can, and expose myself to new aspects of biology that my classes at Berkeley have not yet shown me. Outside of academics, my interests are dance, fitness, travel, and spending time with friends and family.”

Rafae Pasha is a sophomore at UC Berkeley. He plans to study both chemistry and neurobiology and hopes to eventually go into the medical field. He says: “I chose to spend my summer in the lab because I felt that it would provide me with valuable experience in a lab setting as well as getting to work on some really cool projects! My interests include producing music, playing video games, and cooking.”

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