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Student Spotlight

Lisa Rene Correa

Meet Lisa Rene, she is a graduating senior whose interest and enthusiasm for Biology is contagious the minute you meet her. She transferred to Cal State Northridge in 2004. Her little brother attended Northridge and had such a great experience that Lisa Rene knew it was the University for her but did not realize how much it would give back to her until she met Dr. Maria Elena de Bellard.

Upon arriving at Cal State Northridge, Lisa Rene immediately took advantage of the benefits of small class sizes and professors' office hours to build a rapport with her professors. Lisa Rene's first love is research and she has found that coming to Cal State Northridge has given her the edge that she would not have had elsewhere. "I have been able to receive one-on-one time with my professors who are constantly encouraging us to look for grants and do hands on research." Lisa Rene has not disappointed them, she recently won a grant from SOMAS (Support of Mentors and their Students) and NSF to do neuroscience and attend the Society for Neuroscience Convention in Atlanta, Georgia. She was given a grant which allowed her to spend time in the lab doing research on neurocrest cells and how they react to Slit2 which is a chemosuppresor. The findings that she and Dr. de Bellard were able to show can be applied to cancer research and the long term goal of finding a cure. Lisa Rene put together a poster of their findings (breaking down their scientific paper) and she took this with her to the Neuroscience Convention. She set this poster up in a room and had various PhDs come in and ask her to walk them through her research and findings. "It was an amazing experience!"

As a graduating senior, Lisa Rene currently has a number of applications out for dental school and is anxiously awaiting responses. "Without all of the hands on research and help from Dr. de Bellard, there is no way any dental schools would have looked at my application. It is so competitive and Cal State Northridge has given me the edge I need to be accepted." Upon graduation from dental school, Lisa Rene would like to continue her research, now with a focus on dentistry.

The one piece of advice she has for any new University student would be to "take advantage of your professor's office hours, get to know them as a person, you will find it invaluable."

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