I work in the lab of Professor Frostig in the Department of Neurobiology and Behavior. At the Frostig lab we are interested in the plasticity of the sensory cortex found both in normal and damaged cortical tissue. Our lab has shown that whisker stimulation in rats can decrease damage following a stroke when delivered in the first two hours but that stimulation increases damage when delivered three hours following stroke. My specific project is to understand the mechanism for increased damage and whether stimulation or reperfusion (return of blood flow through collateral vessels) of the Middle Cerebral Artery is responsible for increased damage.

I began research in Fall of my Junior year after hearing about the interesting research projects conducted in the Frostig lab. I started thinking about research early in my Freshman year thanks to UROP workshops on how to find research. I was also involved in the UROP Student Editorial Board during my Junior year, which greatly enriched my research experience and allowed me to learn about undergraduate research in all academic units at UCI.

Research has allowed me to establish a strong knowledge base in a specialized part of Neurobiology and has allowed me to delve deeper into topics, such as stroke, that interest me. Research has enriched my education with the knowledge that my work in the laboratory can potentially help patients recover from stroke in the future. Research and working with the Student Editorial Board has helped me build the platform from which I launched my other activities at the University. I learned the skills I needed to write a $10,000 grant proposal for the Shifa Clinic of Orange County and to conduct independent research for the clinic.

One of my favorite experiences was working on my project for UROP last year, especially being able to present at the UCI Undergraduate Research Symposium and seeing the projects my friends were working on. One of my most exhilarating research experiences this year was learning a difficult surgery (occluding the Middle Cerebral Artery) for the first time. It was an intense experience and I remember being in complete concentration for several hours and loving every minute of it!

My plans for the future are to attend a Master’s program next year and then attend medical school. Thanks to my research experience, I was able to explore my interests more thoroughly, and I have learned how to further pursue my interests in the medical field. I have decided to take one year to do the special masters program so that I will be better prepared as a future physician to work in international medicine in addition to working with local underserved populations.

My advice is to start searching for your interests early and to develop a great relationship with your research mentor. It is vital to your education as well as your professional development to participate in research, so do not shy away from a great experience. Research requires much time and dedication, but the rewards and learning that you gain are immense! UCI is a research university and has a plethora of research projects and many interesting faculty members you can work with. I would also suggest participating in the interdisciplinary research projects at UCI, as they provide interesting and unique opportunities to integrate different fields and push the boundaries of our knowledge.