Meet three students from USC’s master’s program in stem cell biology and regenerative medicine

Nima Adhami

Hometown: Pasadena, CA

Where are you from? I was born and raised in Los Angeles and went to UCLA for my undergrad.

What made you choose the program? Growing up, I thought I wanted to be a doctor. After shadowing doctors in the clinical setting, I realized I was more interested in research-based medicine, particularly stem cells. Stem cell research is a growing field that I want to be a part of. I feel like we are at the ground floor of a major breakthrough in the stem cell/science community, and I want to learn from the best of the best and be a part of these advancements.

I always knew I wanted to pursue science, but felt more motivated by the fact that both of my parents are engineers. I wanted to do well for them and make them proud.

What about the program stands out to you the most? I was surprised by the caliber of the faculty members and their extensive achievements. The discoveries that are being made here are happening at such a fast rate that there seems to be a large capacity for rapid discovery. I feel that I can put what I learn in class to use in real time, and it’s cool to see the curriculum translate to work in the lab.

Here at USC, since our cohort is small, I feel I get more personalized attention, and I am able to fire off as many questions as I need without having to wait for 50 other people to get their questions answered. The discussion-based learning is the best way to go for this type of curriculum, and I feel that the other students and I are able to thrive off that.

How is life in Los Angeles? I am a die-hard Angeleno, born and raised. To me, LA is the place to be when it comes to advancements in science and modernization. USC is the quintessential LA school, because it is such a melting pot and is an accurate reflection of the city of LA.

Where do you see yourself after the program? I hope to pursue my PhD, ideally with the PIBBS program here at USC. My ultimate goal is to make a lasting contribution to the stem cell field or research medicine. Hopefully, one day, I can come up with some sort of discovery that clinicians can use to treat their patients in the future.

For more information about our program and how to apply, please visit our website at scrm.usc.edu. Applications for the Fall 2020 school year are currently being accepted until March 1^st, 2020. We are also accepting progressive degree admissions on a rolling basis. More information can be found at scrm.usc.edu/progressive.