Andrea Argouarch

Class of 2014

Education: Blended BS and MS in Biomedical Engineering at Cal Poly

 

Biography

Andrea was interested in the CIRM program because it would provide a great foundation of insightful knowledge about stem cell research and valuable hands on experience. She thought it was an astonishing field with great promise, yet there were challenges that still need to be overcome to unlock its potential. She was particularly interested in the use of stem cells as a possible treatment for neurological disorders. She believed that it was important to dedicate her skills and knowledge for the benefits of others, an endeavor worth pursuing through stem cell research. She hoped to work at a research institute for regenerative medicine.

Her CIRM research internship was at the Scripps Research Institute with Dr. Kristin Baldwin from the department of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience. The project that she was involved in was using induce pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to model Mowat-Wilson Syndrome, a neurodevelopmental disorder. Specific aims included the differentiation of iPSCs into neuronal progenitor cells, analysis of specific neuronal markers, and immunocytochemistry at specific neurodevelopment time points.

After graduating, Andrea obtained a position as a research associate at the University of California, San Francisco.