Kelechi Onwuzurike
Post-baccalaureate Scholar @National Institute On Aging Nia
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WORK HISTORY
Post-baccalaureate Scholar @National Institute On Aging Nia
Work in the RNA Regulation Section in the Laboratory of Genetics and Genomics led by Myriam GorospeProject 1: We’re working to understand how cellular senescence contributes to neurodegenerative diseases by expanding a molecular atlas of senescent brain cells. Using transcriptomic and proteomic profiling, we’ve characterizing senescence signatures in human astrocytes, microglia, oligodendrocytes and endothelial cells under multiple stress conditions. Our goal is to uncover shared and cell-type-specific senescence pathways to inform targeted therapies and studies toward senescent cells in neurodegeneration.Project 2: Building a functional splicing platform using long-read sequencing to discover alternative splicing variants that drive physiological events and/or disease-related phenotypes, using myogenesis as a model. This approach aims to improve the specificity of gene-targeted therapies by focusing on splicing isoforms rather than entire genes.
EDUCATION
UCLA
Bachelor of Science - BS, Molecular, Cell & Development Biology (Departmental Honors) and Neuroscience (Departmental Honors)
Eleanor Roosevelt High School
High School Diploma, e-STEM academy
ABOUT KELECHI ONWUZURIKE
I’m an aspiring physician-scientist interested in how RNA regulation and cellular aging shape brain function and neurodegenerative disease. My work integrates molecular and computational approaches to map how senescence and RNA dynamics influence neuronal health.I’ve conducted research at UCLA, UCSF’s Gladstone Institutes, and the NIH, studying topics ranging from Rbfox splicing complexes and mitochondrial gene editing to multi-omic profiling of senescent brain cells. Across these projects, I’ve become fascinated by how emerging RNA- and omics-based tools can bridge molecular mechanisms to clinical understanding.Beyond research, I’m passionate about mentorship and science communication, leading outreach and peer-learning programs that make scientific training more accessible to aspiring researchers. My long-term goal is to train as a physician-scientist, developing RNA-based technologies to study and treat neurological disease while fostering a collaborative and intellectually curious scientific community.
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