How CELA and CLEAR Empower Biochemistry Research</h1> <article> <h1>How CELA and CLEAR Empower Biochemistry Research</h1> <p>kviancou — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 15:24:30 +0000</p> <span>How CELA and CLEAR Empower Biochemistry Research</span> <span><span>kviancou</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-03-23T11:24:30-04:00" title="Monday, March 23, 2026 - 11:24">Mon, 03/23/2026 - 11:24</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The <a href="/center-engaged-liberal-arts">Center for Engaged Liberal Arts (CELA)</a> fosters a community where students connect academic learning with real-world application. For Julia Ludwig ’27, that community has helped her build meaningful experiences beyond the classroom, form lasting friendships, and give back whenever possible.</p><p>In her first year at 91ֱ��, Ludwig joined a research lab for her winter term project. “What was meant to be a short-term project became the longest and most transformative research experience of my undergraduate career,” she says. “I was trusted to shape questions, interpret unexpected results, and follow curiosity where it led.”</p><p>Conducting research at 91ֱ�� gave Ludwig the foundation and confidence to seek out opportunities at other institutions. During a summer research experience at Ohio State University, using the skills she gained in 91ֱ�� research communities, including the 91ֱ�� Summer Research Institute, she felt empowered to help cultivate a collaborative dynamic among her new peers. “Having come from an environment where friendship and teamwork meant the same thing, I was able to adapt well and connect with others, motivating graduate students and lab leaders to celebrate their successes outside of the lab,” she says.</p><p>Through leadership roles within CELA, Ludwig has given back to the community that shaped her values. <a href="/clear">The Center for Learning, Education, and Research in the Sciences (CLEAR)</a> creates an inclusive and welcoming environment for students interested in STEM fields. As a CLEAR mentor, Ludwig supported fellow students in STEM courses. Later, as a CLEAR coordinator, she oversaw new cohorts of mentors and helped them grow into their roles. “Over time, I discovered that my greatest strength was not only achieving goals but also empowering people to uplift themselves and find solutions.”</p><p>Ludwig is grateful for how CELA has strengthened both her academic confidence and her sense of purpose. “I found something transformative in 91ֱ��’s academic rigor and culture of cooperation.”</p><p>After 91ֱ��, Ludwig, who majors in <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/chemistry-biochemistry">biochemistry</a>, plans to pursue an MD-PhD, with the goal of bridging clinical insight with biochemical and neurobiological research.</p><p>Ludwig is a nominee for the CELA Award, recognizing outstanding engagement and achievement in connecting academic pursuits with experiential learning.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Through hands-on research, peer mentorship, and leadership in CLEAR, Julia Ludwig ’27 is preparing for a future at the intersection of medicine and neurobiological science.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-03-22T12:00:00Z">Sun, 03/22/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">By Kate Martin ’26</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3846">Engaged Liberal Arts</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2358">Undergraduate Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2594">CLEAR</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4075">Neuroscience</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4265">Biochemistry</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/chemistry-biochemistry" hreflang="und">Chemistry and Biochemistry</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/neuroscience" hreflang="und">Neuroscience</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Tanya Rosen-Jones ’97</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>From Lab to Bedside: Exploring Neuroscience Research and Patient Care</h1> <p>kviancou — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 18:01:53 +0000</p> <span>From Lab to Bedside: Exploring Neuroscience Research and Patient Care</span> <span><span>kviancou</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-03-16T14:01:53-04:00" title="Monday, March 16, 2026 - 14:01">Mon, 03/16/2026 - 14:01</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Anna Fritz ’26 is a <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/neuroscience">neuroscience</a> major who grew up in 91ֱ��, Ohio, and competes on the women’s varsity track and field team. Last summer, she participated in the Boston University Summer Program in Neuroscience, an intensive eight-week program based at Boston University and Boston Medical Center.</p><p><strong>Can you describe your summer internship?</strong></p><p>My internship at Boston University combined individual mentored research, clinical shadowing across a range of neuroscience specialties, and weekly didactics and professional development seminars. I worked in the STEPP Lab, a sensorimotor rehabilitation engineering lab, on a project related to speech disorders in Parkinson's disease. </p><p>Along with my cohort, I also had the opportunity to observe neurosurgeries and shadow neurologists, neurocritical care specialists, neurosurgeons, neuropathologists, psychiatrists, ENT physicians, neuropsychologists, and ophthalmologists. It was hands-down the most amazing experience I've ever had.</p><p><strong>How did 91ֱ�� influence you to pursue your internship?</strong></p><p>My studies in neuroscience at 91ֱ�� motivated me to seek hands-on experience in research and clinical environments. Although I found this program while browsing summer opportunities online, my experiences with professors like Michelle Johnson and Gunnar Kwakye encouraged me to look for opportunities like this in the first place.</p><p><strong>How did your internship align with your post-college goals?</strong></p><p>I became confident that I want to pursue patient-centered care in a neuroscience specialty while conducting translational research into neurodegenerative diseases.</p><p><strong>What surprised you or made a big impression?</strong></p><p>Shadowing at Boston Medical Center—a safety-net hospital serving predominantly low-income and underinsured populations—left a lasting impression on me. It was eye-opening to see how structural inequities in healthcare impact patient outcomes in treatment, recovery, and long-term support.</p><p>The resilience of patients and the resourcefulness of the care teams reinforced my commitment to pursuing a career where I can address both the biological and systemic realities of neurological disease.</p><p><strong>How has your liberal arts education shaped the way you think about science or research?</strong></p><p>It taught me to approach science not just as a technical discipline but as a human-centered, ethical, and socially informed endeavor. Courses outside neuroscience, such as Topics in Philosophy of Mind with Professor Todd Ganson, pushed me to ask deeper questions about the context and consequences of scientific work, including research with laboratory animals, sometimes described as “sentience candidates.”</p><p><strong>What drew you to your major?</strong></p><p>I have always been fascinated by the brain, but experiences at 91ֱ��—such as Professor Kwakye’s Laboratory in Neurotoxicology and Neurodegeneration and Professor Michelle Johnson’s Developmental Neurobiology—solidified my interest. Working as a nurse aide during the pandemic and volunteering at University Hospitals further deepened my interest in clinical care.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Anna Fritz ’26 studied Parkinson’s disease and shadowed specialists across multiple fields at Boston Medical Center.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-03-16T12:00:00Z">Mon, 03/16/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Office of Communications</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4075">Neuroscience</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4093">Internships</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/neuroscience" hreflang="und">Neuroscience</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Anna Fritz interned in a neuroscience program at Boston University.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Courtesy of Anna Fritz</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>A Mind for the Brain</h1> <p>kviancou — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 19:51:52 +0000</p> <span>A Mind for the Brain</span> <span><span>kviancou</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-03-13T15:51:52-04:00" title="Friday, March 13, 2026 - 15:51">Fri, 03/13/2026 - 15:51</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Long before fourth-year student William Muliawan declared his major at 91ֱ��, he had a clear vision of what he wanted to study. What started with books and videos discussing the psychology of the human brain led to a fascination with understanding the progression of brain diseases. </p><p>Muliawan took classes at 91ֱ�� that were relevant not only to learning how brain diseases develop but also to understanding how research on those diseases helps develop new therapeutics and inform the public about potential exacerbating factors. </p><p>His upper-level <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/neuroscience">neuroscience</a> lab courses “have only helped me find the kind of research that I want to do in the future,” he says. Those courses also allowed him to learn about research conferences such as the Society for Neuroscience and the Midwest and Great Lakes Undergraduate Research Symposium in Neuroscience, both of which he presented at in 2024, as well as an internship at the University of Texas Health Science Center–San Antonio in 2024.</p><p>While at UTHSCSA, Muliawan worked in the research lab of David Morilak, where he assisted with studying the effects of stress and a model of exposure therapy using behavioral tests that are translatable to human psychiatric disorders, namely post-traumatic stress disorder. The internship was meaningful in other ways as well, he says. </p><p>“While learning a lot of new techniques involving animal work, I also learned the ethics of using animals in research,” he says. “More introspectively, it also made me realize that while animal work is difficult and important, it's not for me, and that I should pursue other avenues of research.” Such an insight will serve him well as he continues his studies after 91ֱ��. </p><p>“As a student doing research, I think my liberal arts education allowed me to approach the different techniques that I learned at UTHSCSA and think critically about why we perform these techniques,” Muliawan says reflectively. “On top of that, I feel like I can voice my opinions about how the techniques are performed to my mentors in the program.”</p><p>Outside of the research lab, Muliawan, who is from Los Altos, California, is a member of Now Chorale, a student-led contemporary classical choir group. </p><hr><p>To learn more about summer internships as an 91ֱ�� student, check out <a href="/career/set/summer">Career Exploration and Development</a>.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">William Muliawan ’26 turned an early fascination with the brain into hands-on research, conference presentations, and a clearer vision for his future in science.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-03-13T12:00:00Z">Fri, 03/13/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">By Yvonne Gay</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4075">Neuroscience</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3897">Internship</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/neuroscience" hreflang="und">Neuroscience</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">William Muliawan ’26 at work in Professor Gunnar Kwakye’s neuroscience lab at 91ֱ��.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item"> By Abe Frato '26</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>A Path to Healthcare</h1> <p>awillia2 — Thu, 11 Sep 2025 15:46:27 +0000</p> <span>A Path to Healthcare</span> <span><span>awillia2</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-09-11T11:46:27-04:00" title="Thursday, September 11, 2025 - 11:46">Thu, 09/11/2025 - 11:46</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>“When you enter a trauma bay, especially as a patient who’s not familiar with how it works, it can be disorienting, because everyone swarms around you all at once,” says Lesikar, who graduated with a double major in <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/neuroscience" target="_blank" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="d0a6ffe5-ab84-42b7-9069-d9f47766a924" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Neuroscience">neuroscience</a> and <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/biology" target="_blank" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="2e8ca96d-493a-456b-b9b1-73583c30df0f" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Biology">biology</a>, a minor in <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/chemistry-biochemistry" target="_blank" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="08db65f2-80ae-4a7d-bcf9-9a54b52d7c26" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Chemistry and Biochemistry">chemistry</a>, and an integrative concentration in <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/global-health" target="_blank" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="cf90288b-047f-4d2f-ac3a-91691901fde1" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Global Health">global health</a>. But the doctors at Shock Trauma “made me feel taken care of and safe in the situation,” he says.</p><p>That first-hand experience as a patient, combined with watching his grandparents grapple with chronic degenerative illnesses, influenced his post-91ֱ�� plans to enter medicine. In fall 2025, Lesikar is entering the MD/MPH dual degree program at Johns Hopkins Medical School, with plans to become a surgeon and a researcher. </p><p>Though he solidified his close focus on medicine pre-college—he later volunteered at Shock Trauma, which led to him becoming an EMT and then an ER tech—Lesikar credits 91ֱ�� for fostering his interdisciplinary impulses.</p><p>“I wanted to get a more well-rounded liberal arts education,” he says. “I like having been able to build really close relationships with a lot of my mentors and professors, and being really involved in the research process.”</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">For Brycen Lesikar ’25, 91ֱ��’s liberal arts education led to research, intellectual inquiry and medical school to become a surgeon.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2025-09-23T12:00:00Z">Tue, 09/23/2025 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Kira Goldenberg</div> <div class="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>In high school, Brycen Lesikar ’25 was a decorated pole vaulter. At 16, one vault went awry, landing the Baltimore native in the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center at the University of Maryland, where he was treated for a traumatic brain injury.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2368">Alumni</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2360">After 91ֱ��</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4075">Neuroscience</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4064">Biology</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/neuroscience" hreflang="und">Neuroscience</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/chemistry-biochemistry" hreflang="und">Chemistry and Biochemistry</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/global-health" hreflang="und">Global Health</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Tanya Rosen-Jones ’97</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-flex-content field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden vertical-spacing--basic field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-43609" class="paragraph paragraph--type--pb-el-bq paragraph--view-mode--default"> <blockquote class="blockquote--quotemark" data-text-color-red> <p>I wanted to get a more well-rounded liberal arts education. I like having been able to build really close relationships with a lot of my mentors and professors, and being really involved in the research process.</p> </blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-43610" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <p>He spent three years working in Associate Professor of Neuroscience <a href="/node/50471" target="_blank">Christopher Howard</a>’s lab, helping lead a research project looking at the effects of Parkinson’s Disease in animal models. Lesikar and collaborators examined mechanisms that either slowed the neurodegenerative process or promoted regrowth. </p><p>“He’s very hands off, so it pushes the students to be very hands on,” Lesikar says of Howard. “When I needed him for advice, he was definitely there, but I think it pushed me to be more independent, inquisitive, and self-motivated.” </p><p>Robert W. & Eleanor H. Biggs Professor of Neuroscience <a href="/gunnar-kwakye" target="_blank" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="a4ff3436-3ac9-4e9b-968d-9dad71694d40" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Gunnar Kwakye">Gunnar Kwakye</a> also played an integral role in encouraging Lesikar to consider “the interdisciplinary nature of medicine, science, and the humanities.” </p><p>That intellectual inquiry, along with experiences such as volunteering at the Lorain County Free Clinic, led him to his planned post-college focus on the relationships between societal inequality and surgical outcomes. </p><p>“I’m interested in exploring the ways in which structural barriers influence the likelihood of developing acute surgical emergencies,” Lesikar says. “Having witnessed the things that I witnessed in terms of healthcare disparities, I was able to contextualize them a lot better with the classes I had here. </p><p>“91ֱ��’s liberal arts education really helped me see that healthcare and public health don’t happen in silos.”</p><hr><p><em>See how 91ֱ��’s research opportunities and liberal arts education prepares future physicians through our</em><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/pre-medicine-and-health-careers" target="_blank" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="d4ebd125-70a1-4397-9bb9-36d6d0d4168e" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Pre-Medicine and Health Careers" rel="noopener"><em> pre-medicine and healthcare careers program</em></a><em>.</em></p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>Elsa Faulders ’26: Lofty Aspirations, Grounded Principles</h1> <p>lcurtis2 — Tue, 20 Aug 2024 20:22:23 +0000</p> <span>Elsa Faulders ’26: Lofty Aspirations, Grounded Principles</span> <span><span>lcurtis2</span></span> <span><time datetime="2024-08-20T16:22:23-04:00" title="Tuesday, August 20, 2024 - 16:22">Tue, 08/20/2024 - 16:22</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><strong>Describe what you’re doing this summer in your internship.</strong></p> <p>This summer I worked at the Penn Medicine BioBank, helping with research outreach and coordinating study visits. The Biobank holds blood, saliva, and tissue samples that have been genetically sequenced to help Penn researchers with their work to improve healthcare. I conducted saliva samples on patients to add to the biobank data, and I helped a physician with his study on a specific genetic condition. For the study, I reached out to potential participants and scheduled study visits, as well as conducted the study with informed consent. Finally, I shadowed genetic counselors from Penn Medicine in several areas, such as cancer, hearing loss, and general medical genetic clinics, learning what it means to be a genetic counselor. I learned so much about different genetic conditions and how they manifest themselves.</p> <p><strong>How did 91ֱ�� shape or influence you to pursue this internship?</strong></p> <p>In the spring of my freshman year, I took a course on Medical Ethics. I fell in love with the discussions surrounding so many different topics and the ambiguities that came with them. This summer allowed me to apply some of the principles I learned, as I administered informed consent and discussed ethics of medical research. Working in the field directly allowed me to put to use the knowledge and perspectives I gained from that class. Furthermore, my advisor <a href="/node/6061">Gunnar Kwakye</a> has encouraged me to pursue the field of genetic counseling, encouraging me with the fact that many people in the field are very happy with their position.</p> <p><strong>How does pursuing this internship align with your post-college life and career goals?</strong></p> <p>After 91ֱ��, I plan to continue working in a research setting, whether that be through research coordination or directly working with samples. I enjoyed working towards the goal of discovery. I also plan to pursue a master's in genetic counseling, in order to work as a pediatric genetic counselor. After this summer, I am more confident in my interest in working in this field. I loved being able to talk to people and help them directly, something a genetic counselor must do. Finally, I plan to pursue a PhD in a related field to boost my ability to conduct research.</p> <p><strong>Is there anything you’ve learned this summer from your internship that has been particularly noteworthy or surprising?</strong></p> <p>From this summer, I’ve learned that even those working in the medical field are learning something every day. It is easy to assume that physicians know everything, but it was refreshing to see that learning never stops after school. I want to be in a field where I keep learning and uncovering new information, because then I will never be bored!</p> <p><strong>How has your internship deepened or changed your love for healthcare?</strong></p> <p>From my internship, I have learned how much people in healthcare care about their patients. I want to work in a field where the main goal is to help those most in need of it. Health can be such a scary thing, so I am inspired by those who try to make it a little less scary. I am intrigued by the opportunities to connect and learn from patients. This summer, I got to see the amount of gratitude some families had for genetic counselors and geneticists. When it comes to complex genetic conditions, families are grateful to have someone who understands the illness completely, which many physicians do not. To see how thankful these families were is reason enough for me to pursue working in healthcare, specifically as a genetic counselor.</p> <p><em>If you're interested in a summer internship, connect with <a href="/node/4521">Career Exploration & Development</a> team to learn more about exploring career interests, gaining real-world experience, and developing a professional network.</em></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2024-10-11T12:00:00Z">Fri, 10/11/2024 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>A <a href="/node/3411">neuroscience</a> major with a concentration in <a href="/node/322311">global health</a>, Elsa Faulders ’26 has lofty aspirations. She thanks 91ֱ�� for her grounding principles. Learn more about how she applied these with her internship at the Penn Medicine Biobank through <a href="/node/54286">Summer Experience Funding</a>.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4096">Summer Internships</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4140">Summer Experience Funding</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4075">Neuroscience</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2403">Career Exploration & Development</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/gunnar-kwakye" hreflang="und">Gunnar Kwakye</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/neuroscience" hreflang="und">Neuroscience</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Elsa Faulders ’26.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">courtesy of Elsa Faulders ’26</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Kayla Elias ’25 Conducts Research at the Elahi Lab</h1> <p>lcurtis2 — Tue, 27 Aug 2024 17:58:03 +0000</p> <span>Kayla Elias ’25 Conducts Research at the Elahi Lab</span> <span><span>lcurtis2</span></span> <span><time datetime="2024-08-27T13:58:03-04:00" title="Tuesday, August 27, 2024 - 13:58">Tue, 08/27/2024 - 13:58</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><strong>Describe what you’re doing this summer in your internship.</strong></p> <p>I am researching how brain vascular pathology can contribute to cognitive impairment and dementia. The Elahi lab investigates how core features of vascular pathology potentiate or accelerate neurodegenerative disease pathologies. For my project, we are focusing on the pathogenesis of a monogenic form of disease called CADASIL which is caused by mutations in the NOTCH3 gene. People affected can suffer from migraines, ischemic strokes and cognitive impairment. I am growing and differentiating induced pluripotent stem cells with the goal of modeling the blood brain barrier and how it can be compromised in disease. In addition, I am learning in silico bioinformatics techniques to analyze dysregulated gene expression in CADASIL based on transcriptomics data.</p> <p><strong>How did 91ֱ�� shape or influence you to pursue this internship? </strong></p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-left"> <figcaption>Photo credit: Todd France</figcaption> </figure> <p>In Spring 2023, I took Neurobiology of Disease and Neurotoxicology and Neurodegeneration Lab with <a href="/node/6061">Professor Gunnar Kwakye</a>, as well as Molecular Biology, Cellular Biology, and Biochemistry with <a href="/node/5206">Professor Laura Romberg</a>. I loved these three classes, especially in tandem, because they inspired me to think about how a biochemical interaction can cause a series of molecular biological events leading to macroscopic symptomatology that impacts a patient’s quality of life. Therefore, they inspired me to pursue research questions such as those being addressed in the Elahi Lab about how molecular biological signaling pathways can be targeted to understand and treat neurological diseases.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>How does pursuing this internship align with your post-college life and career goals? </strong></p> <p>This is the exact kind of research I aspire to pursue in my own career. I hope to study the molecular pathogenesis of neurological disease, neurodegeneration and/or cancer, while pursuing Neurology or Neurosurgery as a physician-scientist. Dr. Elahi is a physician-scientist with an MD/PhD and I have been able to witness how she balances research and clinic. I’ve performed research, shadowed patient visits, and witnessed how the lab has set up an observational study of CADASIL patients, both remote and in-person, to assess samples for possible diagnostic biomarkers, while in parallel building mechanistic models to identify therapeutic targets.</p> <p><strong>How has the liberal arts education and way of thinking shaped how you approach science and research?</strong></p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-right"> <figcaption>Photo credit: Todd France</figcaption> </figure> <p>Medicine and research are, by nature, interdisciplinary, combining numerous approaches and perspectives to problem-solving. Medicine alone combines STEM and social science with communication skills, emotion and empathy with strength and resilience, and studied knowledge with adaptability. The cornerstones of research are also communication and organizational skills culled in multiple subjects, as well as creativity in developing an approach to a research question. For example, it is best to think about organizing research in terms of a story with a beginning–research question, middle–organized experimentation, and end–results and conclusions. 91ֱ��’s liberal arts education encourages a breadth of training, preparing students to acquire these useful transferable skills. Also, science and medicine are both team sports and involve working with others who may think differently, and each contributes a unique set of ideas to problem-solving. 91ֱ�� is certainly an environment where unique individuals with their own sets of interests and backgrounds merge to create a multifaceted community which thus exposes students to different perspectives.</p> <p><em>If you're interested in a summer internship, connect with the <a href="/node/4521">Career Exploration & Development</a> team to learn more about exploring career interests, gaining real-world experience, and developing a professional network.</em></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2024-10-11T12:00:00Z">Fri, 10/11/2024 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Kayla Elias ’25 knows exactly what she wants to do after college, and is setting herself up perfectly via her <a href="/node/460136">Internship+</a> program placement at the Elahi Lab at the Friedman Brain Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York. At 91ֱ��, Kayla is on the <a href="/node/322681">pre-medical</a> track, majoring in <a href="/node/3411">neuroscience</a> and <a href="/node/25246">biochemistry</a>. As an aspiring physician-scientist, she is following Dr. Fanny Elahi, who does just that, and is learning how Dr. Elahi balances research and clinic work.</p> <p> </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4097">Internship+ Program</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4096">Summer Internships</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4265">Biochemistry</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4075">Neuroscience</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3830">Pre-Medicine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2403">Career Exploration & Development</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/gunnar-kwakye" hreflang="und">Gunnar Kwakye</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/laura-romberg" hreflang="und">Laura Romberg</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/chemistry-biochemistry" hreflang="und">Chemistry and Biochemistry</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/neuroscience" hreflang="und">Neuroscience</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/pre-medicine-and-health-careers" hreflang="und">Pre-Medicine and Health Careers</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Kayla Elias ’25 at her internship at the Elahi Lab in New York City, NY.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Todd France</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>What Healthcare Means with Lucy Lee ’25</h1> <p>lcurtis2 — Tue, 03 Sep 2024 15:25:12 +0000</p> <span>What Healthcare Means with Lucy Lee ’25</span> <span><span>lcurtis2</span></span> <span><time datetime="2024-09-03T11:25:12-04:00" title="Tuesday, September 3, 2024 - 11:25">Tue, 09/03/2024 - 11:25</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><strong>Describe what you’re doing this summer in your internship.</strong></p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-left"> <figcaption>Photo credit: Daniel McGarrity</figcaption> </figure> <p>In my summer internship I was working as a Research Program Assistant in the Johns Hopkins Multiple Sclerosis Center. In this position I assisted the Research Program Coordinators with the collection and maintenance of the data. This included escorting patients to study activities and collecting and entering data. In the Johns Hopkins Multiple Sclerosis Center, I observed the day to day happenings of a clinical research setting. Here, I learned how to take medical histories and visual acuities of patients involved in clinical studies. </p> <p><strong>How did 91ֱ�� shape or influence you to pursue this internship? </strong></p> <p>I started doing research at 91ֱ�� at the beginning of my junior year (fall 2023) with <a href="/node/6081">Professor Tracie Paine</a> in the neuroscience department after taking her neuropharmacology course. Taking Professor Paine’s neuropharmacology course and <a href="/node/6061">Professor G. </a>Kwakye’s Neurobiology of Disease courses have been influential in my interest in the brain/nervous system. </p> <p><strong>How does pursuing this internship align with your post-college life and career goals?</strong></p> <p>Pursuing this internship aligns well with my post-college life and career goals as I am currently completing the <a href="/node/322681">pre-medical</a> track at 91ֱ�� with the goal of attending medical school to become a doctor. This internship was my first window into a clinical patient care setting where I was able to interact with the patients as they were receiving care and also learn from their physician. This internship also expanded my knowledge of research, as the wet lab research I do at 91ֱ�� is very different from research that happens within a clinical setting. </p> <p><strong>Is there anything you’ve learned this summer from your internship that has been particularly noteworthy or surprising? </strong></p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-right"> <figcaption>Photo credit: Daniel McGarrity</figcaption> </figure> <p>I learned a lot about multiple sclerosis this summer while in the clinic, but I also learned a lot from my coworkers and the patients. I learned about the diagnostic tools used in multiple sclerosis and how it can present or not present itself in different patient populations. I also found it so interesting that MS is a disease where its course in an individual can change so much over time. I learned how important clinical research like what is happening in the MS center at Hopkins is, because the more we understand about a neurological demyelinating disorder like MS, the better we can treat the condition.</p> <p>Another noteworthy aspect is that I mainly interacted with Dr. Calabresi’s patients. Many of them have been patients of his for over 20 years, and have followed him many times when he has moved to different hospitals. They had such amazing things to say about him. I think that is the ultimate goal; to become such a great provider and someone that your patients trust so much that they fly in for an appointment because the level of care is so good. </p> <p><strong>How has your internship deepened or changed your love for healthcare?</strong></p> <p>My internship solidified that going into healthcare is something I want to do. It is a big decision to pursue medical school in many ways, so I always thought I wanted to do it but was never at the 100% mark. Now, I am. I really enjoyed working with both the team members in the center and with the patients and seeing just how positive people with neurological autoimmune disorders are, even when they have the ability to take away so much quality of life. It is very inspiring and makes me want to be a part of the care they can receive.</p> <hr> <p><em>If you’re interested in a summer internship, connect with the <a href="/node/4521">Career Exploration & Development</a> team to learn more about exploring career interests, gaining real-world experience, and developing a professional network.</em></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2024-10-11T12:00:00Z">Fri, 10/11/2024 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Lucy Lee ’25 is a <a href="/node/3411">neuroscience</a> major with a minor in <a href="/node/3436">anthropology</a> and a concentration in <a href="/node/322311">global health</a>. This summer, through <a href="/node/460136">Internship+</a>, she interned at the Johns Hopkins Multiple Sclerosis Center. Here, she reflects on her experience and what she ultimately hopes to achieve.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4096">Summer Internships</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4097">Internship+ Program</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4075">Neuroscience</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2403">Career Exploration & Development</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/tracie-paine" hreflang="und">Tracie Paine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/gunnar-kwakye" hreflang="und">Gunnar Kwakye</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/neuroscience" hreflang="und">Neuroscience</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/global-health" hreflang="und">Global Health</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Lucy Lee ’25 at her internship at the Johns Hopkins Multiple Sclerosis Center in Baltimore, MD.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Daniel McGarrity</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Haoyuan Gao Wins 91ֱ��'s 2024 Nexial Prize</h1> <p>azaleski — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 20:13:24 +0000</p> <span>Haoyuan Gao Wins 91ֱ��'s 2024 Nexial Prize</span> <span><span>azaleski</span></span> <span><time datetime="2024-06-10T16:13:24-04:00" title="Monday, June 10, 2024 - 16:13">Mon, 06/10/2024 - 16:13</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Haoyuan Gao ’24, a <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/biology" target="_blank">biology</a> and <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/neuroscience" target="_blank">neuroscience</a> double major with minors in <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/book-studies" target="_blank">book studies</a>, <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/chemistry-biochemistry" target="_blank">chemistry</a>, and <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/east-asian-studies" target="_blank">East Asian Studies</a>, has been named the winner of 91ֱ��’s 2024 Nexial Prize, an honor presented to an outstanding science student with aspirations for interdisciplinary research.</p> <p>The $50,000 cash award may be used in any way the recipient wishes.</p> <p>“With my background in biological sciences, book studies, and East Asian studies, I would like to dive into understanding the history of science in East Asia, which has long been overlooked,” says Gao, whose hometown is Beijing, China. “My knowledge of critical thinking, book and religious history, and the Chinese language will enable me to navigate through both primary sources written in classical languages and secondary sources written by contemporary scholars in both the West and the East.”<br> <br> For the next two years, Gao will be a research associate at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, as part of a team studying natural variations of the human brain. After that, he plans to apply for PhD programs in biology or neuroscience, with the long-term goal of becoming a professor. </p> <p>At 91ֱ��, Gao conducted independent honors research with Associate Professor of Neuroscience <a href="/christopher-howard" target="_blank">Christopher Howard</a>, using fiber photometry to study the interactions between striatal patches and midbrain dopamine neurons and their roles in locomotor function, reward prediction, and action selection. He also studied the polymerization mechanisms of a bacterial tubulin-homologous protein TubZ with Associate Professor of Biology <a href="/laura-romberg" target="_blank">Laura Romberg</a>. </p> <p>Gao’s knowledge of Chinese calligraphy led him to teach a course on calligraphy through 91ֱ��’s Experimental College, or <a href="http://go.oberlin.edu/exco-catalog" target="_blank">ExCo</a>, as well as a library-sponsored workshop. He was inspired to minor in East Asian Studies and book studies after taking the course Buddhism in East Asia with <a href="/andrew-macomber" target="_blank">Andrew Macomber</a>, assistant professor of East Asian religions.<br> <br> “As a STEM major student with interest in arts and humanities, I used to think that it was hard to find connections between them, but book studies formed a bridge between these two paths,” Gao says. “More importantly, it forms connections between different cultures and opens new angles to view the world…. Books from ancient times opened a window for me to get to know how our ancestors look at the world.”<br> </p> <p>His research and studies focused on the East Asian rare book collections in 91ֱ��’s <a href="https://libraries.oberlin.edu/libraries/terrell-special-collections" target="_blank">Terrell Special Collections</a>, encompassing things like cataloging and scanning Chinese rare books and using the <a href="https://libraries.oberlin.edu/collections/special-collections/mary-ainsworth-collection-of-japanese-illustrated-books/about-the-collection" target="_blank">Mary A. Ainsworth Collection of Illustrated Japanese Books</a> for a final paper in Macomber’s course Haunted Archipelago.<br> <br> “In particular, Haoyuan was looking to reveal how aquatic animals native to the archipelago or imported from abroad influenced the historical imagination of supernatural creatures of the rivers, mountains, and seas in Japan,” Macomber says. “This is a highly original topic, one that creatively incorporates Haoyuan’s knowledge in biology, environmental studies, and East Asian religion.<br> <br> “Haoyuan’s projects are clearly driven by a desire to understand the complex relationships between humans and the natural world, and the ways that humans construct knowledge—whether scientific or religious—to make sense of that world,” Macomber adds. “His highly original and creative investigations into the intersections between nature and culture make him eminently suitable for the Nexial Prize.”</p> <p>Presented annually, the Nexial Prize honors a member of the graduating class whose science studies are complemented by a profound interest in the study of culture and who demonstrates excellence in the pursuit of interdisciplinary research. The prize was created by an alumnus to recognize the influence of 91ֱ��’s liberal arts education on his successful career as a scientist and manager and his intellectual and cultural growth. The winner is determined by a faculty panel.</p> <p>The first Nexial Prize was presented in 2017. Following is a complete list of past winners:</p> <p><a href="/news/college-awards-first-ever-nexial-prize">Adam Chazin-Gray ’17</a> (biology)</p> <p><a href="/news/emilie-lozier-18-wins-50000-science-prize">Emilie Lozier ’18</a> (chemistry and French)</p> <p><a href="/news/jane-sedlak-19-studies-chemistry-wildfire-smoke">Jane Sedlak ’19</a> (chemistry)</p> <p><a href="/news/monica-dix-receives-2020-nexial-prize">Monica Dix ’20</a> (geology and politics)</p> <p><a href="/news/janet-wu-21-earns-oberlins-nexial-prize-2021">Janet Wu ’21</a> (neuroscience, biology, and piano performance)</p> <p><a href="/news/marwan-ghanem-22-receives-nexial-prize">Marwan Ghanem ’22</a> (biology and neuroscience)</p> <p><a href="/news/alli-roshni-wins-nexial-prize-2023" target="_blank">Alli Roshni ’23</a> (biology and economics)</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">$50K award honors a graduating science student with a passion for interdisciplinary research.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2024-06-11T12:00:00Z">Tue, 06/11/2024 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4064">Biology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4073">Book Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4074">East Asian Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4075">Neuroscience</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/andrew-macomber" hreflang="und">Andrew Macomber</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/christopher-howard" hreflang="und">Christopher Howard</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/laura-romberg" hreflang="und">Laura Romberg</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/book-studies" hreflang="und">Book Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/biology" hreflang="und">Biology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/neuroscience" hreflang="und">Neuroscience</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/east-asian-studies" hreflang="und">East Asian Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/chemistry-biochemistry" hreflang="und">Chemistry and Biochemistry</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Haoyuan Gao, 91ֱ��'s 2024 Nexial Prize Winner</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Tanya Rosen-Jones '97</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> </main></body></html>