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Brenda Y

- Research Program Mentor

PhD candidate at Stanford University

Expertise

drug delivery, nanotechnology, event planning, graduate school readiness

Bio

I'm interested in translational research that can be used in clinical applications. Specifically, I'm interested in the mechanisms of anesthetics on the brain and how we can develop safer treatment options for neurological diseases. While I am pursuing my PhD currently, I'm also interested in pursuing my MD in the future. As a first-generation, low-income scholar, I'm dedicated to mentoring individuals from underrepresented backgrounds. Some of my identities include female, Asian American/Pacific Islander, and community college transfer. Outside of research, I enjoy traveling, shopping, and dining. I like to explore new cities and try new cuisines.

Project ideas

Project ideas are meant to help inspire student thinking about their own project. Students are in the driver seat of their research and are free to use any or none of the ideas shared by their mentors.

In-House Gait Analysis System

Tracking the movement of rodents is a valuable tool for small animal research. Gait analysis helps determine motor deficiencies that can be caused by pain or medication side effects. Many systems are quite expensive and can range from $60k - $150k+. Creating an in-house system that can track the movement of paws across a platform can be a cost-effective solution to measuring gait. The project will involve capturing motion with a GoPro camera. Using a coding software, such as Python or Matlab, we can take these captured videos and analyze each frame. The frame-by-frame analysis code will become extremely valuable in determining the gait of rodents across a catwalk platform.

Coding skills

python, Matlab

Teaching experience

I developed a weeklong data science workshop to teach 30 undergraduates on python and coding skills. I have also taught a 8-week graduate school readiness program for the past 3 summers to undergraduates. I have mentored undergraduates on research projects and applying to college / graduate school.

Credentials

Work experience

Stanford Office of Technology Licensing (2021 - Current)
Business Development and Marketing Intern

Education

University of California Merced (UCM)
BS Bachelor of Science (2019)
Biological Sciences
Stanford University
PhD Doctor of Philosophy candidate
Biophysics

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