Dana Raphael

Coming into Penn with an interest in neuroscience and medicine, I was eager to become involved in research. However, given the infinite amount of research opportunities available, I was uncertain how to approach the process of finding a lab that aligned with my interests and a mentor who would support me in my academic pursuits. After meeting with a Research Peer Advisor, I learned about the PURM program and the vast amount of valuable resources offered by CURF. Through PURM, I was very fortunate to be matched with Dr. Amelia Eisch’s lab at CHOP, where I spent the summer after my freshman year. I had such an incredible experience in the lab that summer and have been conducting research there ever since, studying the role of microglia, the brain’s immune cells, in mediating the response to perinatal hypoxia-ischemia. Apart from my interest in science, I am also passionate about the French language and culture, and hope to complete an independent study during my senior year. Engaging in research has been an enlightening and integral part of my Penn experience. I would love to help other students navigate through the process of becoming involved in research, so if you have any questions about research or anything else, please feel free to reach out to me!

• Research Assistant, Dr. Amelia Eisch’s Lab, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (Summer 2019-present)
• Mary L. And Matthew S. Santirocco College Alumni Society Undergraduate Research Grant (Spring 2020)
• Penn Undergraduate Research Mentoring Program (PURM) (Summer 2019)
• Poster Presentation at Penn’s CURF Fall Research Expo 2019
• Research Assistant, Dr. Jonathan Kipnis’ Lab, University of Virginia School of Medicine (2017-2018)