Thesis Thursday -Ayumi Pottenger

Hi! My name is Ayumi Pottenger and I am a junior studying Molecular and Cellular Biology.  I was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, but I moved around quite a bit, from Arizona to Japan to Mississippi and back.  I worked under Dr. Nadja Anderson for two years as a lab assistant, and I am now an undergraduate researcher in Dr. Helena Morrison’s lab, where we study microglia—the immune cell of the brain—and their role in ischemic stroke.  I volunteer as a tutor for child refugees in the Tucson area, and am involved in the MCB club and Women in Medicine and Science (WIMS) club.  When I’m not thinking about science and school, I love to dance, play the violin, hike, and hang out with loved ones—especially my mom. (Who wouldn’t? She’s adorable.)  I plan on pursuing a PhD after I graduate from the UofA.