Bioinformatics

Bernhard Palsson Laboratory

Research: Bioinformatics - Biological networks and protein structure

Socrates Project: Computers and your genes

Roger Chang is a graduate student in the UCSD Bioinformatics & Systems Biology Ph.D. Program. Trained in experimental and computational biology, he is a systems biologist developing novel approaches for predictive computational modeling of cellular systems and applying these to study high impact biological problems. 

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Biomedical Sciences

Gabriel Haddad Laboratory

Research: Drosophila genetics; obesity/hypoxia

Socrates Project: The great geotaxis race!

Erilynn Heinrichsen is a 4th year PhD candidate in the Biomedical Sciences Program at UCSD, with a BA from Luther College in Decorah, IA. Following an internship at the Research Institute for Olympic Sports in Finland, Erilynn is pursuing her interests in science and health by using a Drosophila model to study the genetics of obesity and hypoxia in the laboratory of Dr. Gabriel Haddad. An active participant in local scientific outreach and recipient of the Association of Women in Science scholarship, she hopes to eventually serve as a mentor for students through teaching science and coaching running at the undergraduate level.

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Neurosciences

Virginia de Sa Laboratory

Research: Brain Computer Interfaces

Socrates Project: Interpreting brain waves

Adam Koerner is a graduate student in the Neurosciences department at UCSD, with a specialization in Computational Neuroscience. He is originally from Seattle, where he attended the University of Washington and graduated with a BS in Bioengineering in 2007. His research interests include the study of covert and overt motor activity (particularly speech production), and the development of brain-computer interfaces. In his spare time he enjoys watching and playing sports, video games, and playing the classical guitar.

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Physics

William Kristan Laboratory

Research: Circuits and Behavior

Socrates Project: Physics of biology

Benjamin Migliori is an interdisciplinary Ph.D. candidate bridging physics and neuroscience. He is currently developing an optical method for probing the neuron networks in the medicinal leech in order to understand the link between micro- and macro-scale manifestations of behavior. His work, supported by the HHMI and the UCSD Interfaces Program, has been presented at events ranging from the Society for Neuroscience annual meeting to the TEDx meeting in La Jolla.

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Bioengineering

Shyni Varghese Laboratory

Research: Smart polymers for medicine

Socrates Project: Stem cells and smart materials

Ameya was born in the United States, raised in India and came back to the United States for college and graduate school- by experiencing the pros and cons of vastly different systems of education in India and the United States, he hopes to bring a new perspective to science education. As a member of Shyni Varghese's group in the Department of Bioengineering, he works on synthetic polymers with unique properties for applications in regenerative medicine. He is also a proficient vocal percussionist and loves cricket and football.

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Chemistry and Biochemistry

Charles Perrin Laboratory

Research: Physical organic chemistry

Socrates Project: Using organic chemistry in solution

Gabriel J. Reyes-Rodriguez was born and raised in Puerto Rico. He graduated from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras (UPR-RP), where he spent two years of his undergraduate carreer working for Dr. Olga L. Mayol-Bracero in studying the chemical composition of clouds and rainwater, and how this composition would change with different air masses arriving to the island. Currently, Gabriel is attending UC San Diego, as a graduate student in the chemistry department with Dr. Charles L. Perrin. There, he studies the reactivity of para-benzyne intermediates derived from enediynes, and their selectivity towards different nucleophiles. Also, he serves as a teacher assistant in organic chemistry classes.

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Neurosciences

Adam Aron Laboratory

Research: Neural circuits/Motor control

Socrates Project: How do you read brain function?

Nicki is a 5th year graduate student in Neuroscience. After graduating from UC Berkeley in 2006 with a double major in molecular & cell biology and psychology, Nicki moved to San Diego and joined Dr. Adam Aron's lab. Nicki’s current research asks how different parts of the brain work together to control action. Her studies involve recording the brain activity of epilepsy patients who have had their skulls surgically removed. She also studies patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease who are receiving an innovative treatment called deep brain stimulation.

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Biomedical Sciences

Dwayne Stupack Laboratory

Research: Cell death and adhesion

Socrates Project: Integration! How integrins work

Shanique Young is a Ford Fellow and third-year biomedical sciences graduate student in Dr. Dwayne Stupack’s lab at the Moores UCSD Cancer Center. Her thesis research focuses on the role of a cell surface ‘adhesion’ receptor in the pathogenesis of neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer of the peripheral nervous system. A native of Texas, Shanique graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 2008 with a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering. Aside from her many hours in the lab, Shanique enjoys team sports, dance, live spoken word and jazz music events, community service activities, and fulfilling junior leadership roles at her local ministry.

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