Ellia Torkian

Ellia Torkian is a second-year undergraduate student at the University of California San Diego (UCSD), where she is majoring in neurobiology. Prior to beginning her internship in Takaki Komiyama’s lab, she interned in the Muotri Lab at UCSD for one year, where she worked on neuroscience tissue culture experiments involving iPS cell maintenance and DNA examination. Her current interests within the field of neuroscience include the use of genetic sequencing to identify the potential contribution of genetic factors to mental disability, and how gene therapy can be used to mitigate the effects of genetic irregularities. Another passion of hers is shadowing physicians in clinical and surgical settings, where she can gain exposure to various professional paths and learn more about how research can affect other fields. She is excited to explore many more applications of neuroscientific research in the Komiyama lab in the coming year. In the future, she hopes to further her education in medical school and to pursue a career in the field of medicine and/or scientific research.

Mentor: Bin Yu (Komiyama Lab)