Ariya Uyeno

Ariya is an incoming Neuroscience PhD student at UC Berkeley, currently working as a research technician in molecular neuroscience at the Scripps Research Institute. Her primary research focus is on discovering natural, non-opioid modulators of pain by targeting PIEZO2, a mechanosensitive ion channel that mediates our sense of touch. She is the second in her family to earn a bachelor’s degree, and the first to earn a master’s. Growing up low-income, she had an unconventional route into research and works as an educator to advocate for class diversity in higher academia and science.