What happens to the stem cells in our brains as we age? Albina Ibrayeva, a PhD student in the USC Stem Cell laboratory of Michael Bonaguidi, addresses this question as she tries to understand how the brain naturally fights against aging and suggests promising therapeutic avenues for treating age-related neurodegeneration, disease and disorders.

I love science. As an undergraduate student back in Kazakhstan, I constantly sought ways to put my knowledge into practice. During my sophomore year, I interned at the National Center for Biotechnology in Astana. This experience enabled me to work with some of the brightest minds dedicated to scientific research in my country and showed me the meaningfulness of a career in biomedical research. Since then, I knew that I wanted to be a scientist.

I won a scholarship and was accepted to graduate school at USC, first to study biomedical engineering as a masters student, then the biology of aging as a PhD student. In 2015, I joined Michael Bonaguidis lab. So here I am, excited and really passionate about contributing to a not-so-distant future where research and medicine advance all humans well-being.

USC is one of the worlds top research universities, especially for someone who is studying neuroscience, stem cells and aging. The synergy among the LAC-USC Medical Center, the Alzheimers Disease Research Center, the Geriatric Studies Center, the Alzheimers Therapeutic Research Institute, the Laboratory of NeuroImaging, the Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute and USCs stem cell research center provides one of the best avenues to do great research and advance clinical and basic science.

Not only I am blessed to work at USC, but also I like the fact that we are surrounded by the best universities, such as Caltech and the University of California campuses in L.A., San Diego, San Francisco and Santa Barbara with whom we collaborate. California is known to be the most progressive place on Earth in science, technology and innovation. That is why I think I am in the right place, where I too can contribute to science and research on aging and its effects.

After graduating from the USC PhD program, I would like to work as a professor and researcher at a U.S. university. It is one of my dreams to be able to share my knowledge and being a professor would allow me to do so, while continuing my research to benefit U.S. health care and the science of aging.

Research, of course, is and will remain a big part of my life. Science is there to help people who are suffering from different diseases and disorders. In particular, stem cell research has a great potential for its therapeutic application across fields. Science can be really challenging. However, at the same time it is really exciting, and I am a firm believer that science is changing and will change the world, if given a chance.

In high school, I was a professional volleyball player. But then I realized that I dont want to pursue a career in sports, but science.

Sometimes it is hard to stay active, especially when all day long you are analyzing your data, conducting experiments and running simulations on your computer. But whenever I have free time, I try to spend it being as active as possible. I try to hike at least once a week. The Santa Monica Mountains are the best place to hike, with their breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean, native California grasslands, famous Malibu beaches, and even some historical and cultural sites of Native American life. This is what makes me happy outside of science.

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Stem cell researcher takes on the brain's fight against age-related ... - USC News