Arielle H
- Research Program Mentor
PhD candidate at University of California Los Angeles (UCLA)
Expertise
neuroscience, nervous system injury and regeneration, cell biology, genomics, bioinformatics,
Bio
I am a sixth-year Neuroscience Ph.D. candidate at UCLA in the Geschwind Lab, where I study how the brain and nervous system repair themselves after injury. My academic passion lies in understanding the complexities of gene regulation, particularly alternative splicing, and how this process influences neural regeneration. I enjoy combining computational biology with experimental approaches to answer questions that could one day inform new therapies for neurological conditions. Outside of the lab, I am passionate about science communication and mentorship. I previously served as CEO of Knowing Neurons, an international neuroscience communication platform, and as Co-Managing Director of Nucleate LA, a biotech activator program. In my free time, I love getting outside, playing basketball, traveling, and going to the movies. These interests keep me balanced and fuel my creativity, both in and outside of research.Project ideas
Beginner Research Review
My expertise is in neuroscience and gene regulation, with a focus on how the nervous system responds to injury and potential strategies for repair. A student interested in this project will explore the broad landscape of approaches being developed to treat spinal cord injury, including biological, technological, and pharmaceutical strategies. Through this project, the student will build research and critical thinking skills by learning how to gather information from scientific articles, company websites, clinical trial databases, and news sources. They will practice summarizing complex scientific information in their own words and organizing it into clear categories. The final review article will include: • An overview of the major therapeutic approaches (e.g., stem cells, gene therapy, biomaterials, rehabilitation devices) • A list of companies and organizations developing therapies for spinal cord injury • Categorization of each company’s therapy into the appropriate approach type • A description of the stage of development for each therapy (preclinical, clinical trial phases, or approved use) The outcome of this project will be a written review paper that organizes and explains the different categories of spinal cord injury therapies, highlights key companies, and discusses the current state of progress in this field. This final product will not only improve the student’s research and writing abilities but also provide a comprehensive snapshot of how science and industry are working together to tackle a challenging medical problem.