Undergraduate Instructional Assistant for BIPN148: Cellular Basis of Learning & Memory, taught by Dr. Jill Leutgeb

Research Assistant / Volunteer @Natural Computation LabLeading project on steady-state somatosensory evoked potentials (SSSEP) using both experimental and computational approaches.

Project Motor Imagery TetrisOverall and Data Collection LeadLeading a team of ~10 students of a range of academic backgrounds and expertise to build a motor imagery-based BCI to play Tetris through real-time classification of EEG signals.* Completed an end-to-end working demo of the project over two quarters. * Responsible for project research and development:* Designed task paradigm and procedure to collect motor imagery EEG data.* Oversees EEG signal pre-processing and feature extraction.Contributions to Internal Workshops* Trained Triton Neurotech members on using the Wearable Sensing DSI-7 EEG headset* TA-ed BCI workshop on using the OpenBCI GUI and OpenBCI Cyton and Ganglion* Presented a demo at the Signal Processing workshop on data collecting and livestreaming with LabStreamingLayer and LabRecorder

Project Neural ProstheticsMachine Learning Sub Team Project MemberContributed to a student-led project that aims to build an end-to-end BCI where different hand gestures are decoded from EMG signals to control a robotic hand. * Responsible for collecting forearm EMG data from human participants for training and testing the ML model using a 4-channel penny electrode armband and OpenBCI Cyton.* Collected 80% of the total EMG data that is still used by the project. * Produced the first documentation within the project on set-up and procedure to collect EMG data which is also currently still in use.

Research Assistant / Volunteer @Komiyama LabAssisting in research project investigating the effect of optogenetic inhibition of M1 neurons during different stages of learning. * Responsible for preparing mice for subsequent behavioral experiments(i.e. performing craniotomies and EGFP/paAIP2 injections over the M1 region)* Responsible for behavioral experiments involving optogenetic inhibition.Contributed to research project investigating how patterned activity dynamics shape synaptic plasticity to influence learning.* Performed cranial window surgeries and viral injections over the M1 region.* Analyzed synaptic fluorescent signals using Python.* Imaged brain slices for fluorescent viral expression.

* Wrote an article featuring Dr. Eiman Azim’s research on the role of tactile feedback modulation in performing dexterous motor movement. * Wrote a summer article intended for other undergraduate biology students on dendritic spine dynamics that accompany novel motor skill learning.

* Reviewed submitted articles for scientific comprehensibility and provided authors with editing suggestions to facilitate the organization’s aim to promote undergraduate student exposure and accessibility to research in biology.* Participated in workshops on the comprehensive reading and analysis of scientific research papers led by Dr. Reuther and on the concision and precision of STEM writing with Dr. Blomstedt.

* Wrote an article for the SQ 2022 Winter Insider Journal on the biological and social models of disability in a discussion on neurodiversity.

Summer Intern @Wu LabContributed to research project investigating dendritic spines dynamics and motor learning in the mouse model.* Performed mouse habituation procedures to prepare the animals for subsequent behavioral experiments. * Performed mouse injections (IP, IM, SC) for post-operative care and other experimental purposes. * Performed transcardiac perfusion and brain dissection in mice. * Prepared brain tissue for imaging; brain slicing and slide mounting.* Analyzed longitudinal two-photon imaging data using ImageJ.Poster Presentation: “Imaging of Dendritic Spine Dynamics Accompanying Novel Motor Skill Learning” Summer Internship Program @Academica Sinica, Institute of Molecular Biology, August 25, 2022.