{"id":17469,"date":"2024-06-07T13:37:47","date_gmt":"2024-06-07T13:37:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lichangesummer.org\/2024studentsite\/?page_id=17469"},"modified":"2024-08-07T18:56:54","modified_gmt":"2024-08-07T18:56:54","slug":"neuroeliassharifi","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/lichangesummer.org\/2024studentsite\/neuroeliassharifi\/","title":{"rendered":"NeuroEliasSharifi"},"content":{"rendered":"<style type=\"text\/css\"><\/style>\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover is-light home-banner\" style=\"min-height: 50px;aspect-ratio:unset;\">\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-cover-is-layout-flow\">\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns home-banner-column is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-3 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-column home-banner-left-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis: 60%;\">\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-8322\" src=\"https:\/\/lichangesummer.org\/2023\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/2021-neuro-logo-min-1.png\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 id=\"h-student-name\" class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-montserrat-font-family has-custom-font\" style=\"color: #8b2927; font-size: 51px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 500; font-family: Montserrat;\">Elias Sharifi<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns slider-1-block is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-1 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-column slider-1-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\r\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-custom-lineheight\" style=\"color: #445aa3; font-size: 31px; line-height: 1;\"><em>Hawken Upper School<\/em><br \/><em>Class of 2026<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p style=\"font-size: 21px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 200;\">Collaborated with a group of the world\u2019s premier researchers, professors, and professionals in the fields of neuroscience and neuroethics.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p style=\"font-size: 21px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 200;\">Synthesized new neuroscience knowledge into an ethical analysis for cutting-edge neuroscience research.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p style=\"font-size: 21px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 200;\">Engaged in interactive, cross-cultural activities and discussions about cognitive neuroscience and neuroethics through a biopsychosocial lens.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"learn-more-button has-text-color\" style=\"color: #000000; font-size: 21px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 200;\"><strong><em>Learn more about Elias here.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns slider-block is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-2 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-column slider-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\r\n<p style=\"font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 200;\">Elias is looking forward to attending the Neuroscience Internship at Georgetown University. It is closely aligned with his academic interests while at the same time providing him a unique opportunity to delve into research that can change lives.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p style=\"font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 200;\">In Elias\u2019s free time, he is a part of a multitude of organizations and extracurriculars, with his favorite two being Public Forum and volunteering. Public Forum, an event in Speech and Debate, is fun for him because of both the tournaments and the amount of time you can spend arguing against and with friends. He likes volunteering at his community centers which helps him feel a sense of fulfillment.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p style=\"font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 200;\">In the future, Elias would like to pursue a career in medicine inspired by his mom who works in healthcare and tells his family stories about the patients she cares for. He is hopeful that this internship will offer both a deeper understanding of the medical field and teach him a set of critical skills and knowledge necessary for his future ambitions.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"learn-more-button-neuro has-text-color\" style=\"color: #000000; font-size: 21px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 200;\"><strong><em>Read more about Elias&#8217;s achievements here.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-column home-banner-right-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis: 40%;\">\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-7887\" src=\"https:\/\/lichangesummer.org\/2024studentsite\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Elias_Sharifi_2024_IMG_6612-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover is-light my-neuroscience-training\" style=\"min-height:50px;aspect-ratio:unset;\"><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim-100 has-background-dim\" style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><\/span><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-cover-is-layout-flow\">\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center has-text-color\" id=\"h-my-neuroscience-training\" style=\"color:#445aa3;font-size:51px;font-style:normal;font-weight:600\">My Neuroscience Training<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns my-neuroscience-training-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-4 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-column my-neuroscience-training-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized my-neuroscience-training-column-image\"><a href=\"#proposal\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lichangesummer.org\/2023\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/1-min.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-7933\" width=\"340\" height=\"387\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-text-color has-custom-lineheight\" style=\"color:#ffffff;font-size:29px;font-style:normal;font-weight:600;line-height:1.21\"><a href=\"#proposal\">My Ethical Investigation<br> Research<\/a><\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-column my-neuroscience-training-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized my-neuroscience-training-column-image\"><a href=\"#presentation\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lichangesummer.org\/2023\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/3-min.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-7934\" width=\"340\" height=\"387\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-text-color has-custom-lineheight\" style=\"color:#ffffff;font-size:29px;font-style:normal;font-weight:600;line-height:1.21\"><a href=\"#presentation\">My Ethical Investigation<br> Presentation<\/a><\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-column my-neuroscience-training-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized my-neuroscience-training-column-image\"><a href=\"#frontier\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lichangesummer.org\/2023\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/2-min.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-7935\" width=\"340\" height=\"387\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-text-color has-custom-lineheight\" style=\"color:#ffffff;font-size:29px;font-style:normal;font-weight:600;line-height:1.21\"><a href=\"#frontier\">The Frontier of<br> Neuroscience<\/a><\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-column my-neuroscience-training-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized my-neuroscience-training-column-image\"><a href=\"#highlights\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lichangesummer.org\/2023\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/4-min.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-7936\" width=\"340\" height=\"387\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-text-color has-custom-lineheight\" style=\"color:#ffffff;font-size:29px;font-style:normal;font-weight:600;line-height:1.21\"><a href=\"#highlights\">Expert &amp; Mentor<br> Collaboration<\/a><\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover is-light my-research-proposal\" style=\"min-height:50px;aspect-ratio:unset;\" id=\"proposal\"><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim-100 has-background-dim\" style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><\/span><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-cover-is-layout-flow\">\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns my-research-proposal-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-5 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-column my-research-proposal-left-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left has-text-color\" id=\"h-my-ethical-investigation-research\" style=\"color:#3b5ea9;font-size:51px;font-style:normal;font-weight:600\">My Ethical Investigation Research<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"has-custom-lineheight\" style=\"font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300;line-height:1.3\">My research delved into crucial inquiries and ramifications pertinent to the exploration of Using TUS to improve military stress response and its prospective trajectory. We transitioned from what neuroscience enables to what it morally necessitates.\r\n&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"has-custom-lineheight\" style=\"font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300;line-height:1.3\"To address these inquiries, I meticulously surveyed the literature to discern the present landscape and prevailing perspectives surrounding Using TUS to improve military stress response. Subsequently, I formulated a comprehensive guide and framework to advocate for a thorough, all-encompassing ethical evaluation of Using TUS to improve military stress responseas it advances.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"has-custom-lineheight\" style=\"font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300;line-height:1.3\">The paper underscores that while moderate stress can enhance focus and performance, excessive stress can lead to debilitating physical and mental health issues among military personnel. Introducing Transcranial Ultrasound Stimulation (TUS) as a potential solution, the essay discusses its non-invasive approach to modulating stress levels by targeting deep brain structures. However, ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) must be carefully considered. These include ensuring informed consent, protecting privacy, mitigating long-term health risks, and safeguarding against cyber threats. The essay concludes that while TUS holds promise for improving stress management in military settings, comprehensive ELSI frameworks are essential to navigate its deployment responsibly and ethically.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-column my-research-proposal-right-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">    <div class=\"wp-block-bplugins-custom-html\" id='bPluginsCustomHtml-1'>\n    <div class=\"my_research_proposal\">\n  <iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/17Gy_5PkDrrsxQGLUZSYcMR9PuALsFIuz\/preview\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" allow=\"autoplay\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 100%;\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div>    <\/div>\n    <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover is-light my-research-proposal-presentation\" style=\"min-height:50px;aspect-ratio:unset;\" id=\"presentation\"><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim-100 has-background-dim\" style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><\/span><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-cover-is-layout-flow\">\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns my-research-proposal-presentation-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-6 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-column my-research-proposal-presentation-left-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:579px\">\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-block-embed-embed-handler wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\r\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"2024 Advanced Medical Neuroscience Presentation - Using TUS to improve military stress response\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/aciTgDaS7V8?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1&#038;origin=https:\/\/lichangesummer.org\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\r\n<\/div><\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-column my-research-proposal-presentation-right-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left has-text-color\" id=\"h-my-ethical-analysispresentation\" style=\"color:#3b5ea9;font-size:51px;font-style:normal;font-weight:600\">My Ethical Analysis<br>Presentation<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"has-custom-lineheight\" style=\"font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300;line-height:1.3\">In the Advanced Medical Neuroscience Internship, I worked directly with some of the world\u2019s leading scientists to learn about neuroethics, neurocognitive health, and revolutionary developments in the field.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"has-custom-lineheight\" style=\"font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300;line-height:1.3\">I had the honor of presenting my research to a distinguished panel of judges, among them Dr. James Giordano, Chief of Georgetown University\u2019s Neuroethics Studies Program.&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"has-custom-lineheight\" style=\"font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300;line-height:1.3\">My presentation aimed to engage in discourse and shed light on the ethical considerations inherent in reviewing research about Using TUS to improve military stress response for the esteemed judges.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover is-light the-frontier-of-neuroscience\" style=\"min-height:50px;aspect-ratio:unset;\" id=\"frontier\"><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim-100 has-background-dim\" style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><\/span><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-cover-is-layout-flow\">\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center has-text-color has-background has-custom-lineheight\" id=\"h-the-frontier-of-neuroscience\" style=\"color:#ffffff;background-color:#8b2927;font-size:51px;font-style:normal;font-weight:600;line-height:1.5\">The Frontier of Neuroscience<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns the-frontier-of-neuroscience-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-column the-frontier-of-neuroscience-left-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:60%\">\r\n<p style=\"font-size:23px;letter-spacing:0px\"><strong>Center for Functional and Molecular Imaging<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"has-custom-lineheight\" style=\"font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300;line-height:1.25\">The Center for Functional and Molecular Imaging (CFMI) at Georgetown is one of the world\u2019s leading institutions with expertise in structural, functional, and brain imaging.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"has-custom-lineheight\" style=\"font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300;line-height:1.25\">While visiting the CFMI, I met Dr. Ashley VanMeter, Director of the Neuroimaging Corps at Georgetown University, who described to me the rationale, protocols, capabilities, and limitations of functional magnetic resonance imaging for clinical and basic science applications.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"has-custom-lineheight\" style=\"font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300;line-height:1.25\">I not only learned about the science behind fMRI, but also had the opportunity to see a machine that possesses a magnetic power of 30,000 times the strength of Earth\u2019s magnetic field.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-column the-frontier-of-neuroscience-right-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:40%\">\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-block-embed-embed-handler wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\r\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How does fMRI brain scanning work? Alan Alda and Dr. Nancy Kanwisher, MIT\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/nvB9hAarzw4?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1&#038;origin=https:\/\/lichangesummer.org\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\r\n<\/div><\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns the-frontier-of-neuroscience-columns-2 is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-column the-frontier-of-neuroscience-right-column-2 is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lichangesummer.org\/2024studentsite\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Copy-of-Elias_Sharifi_2024_IMG_1060.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-8044\" width=\"584\" height=\"265\"\/><\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-column the-frontier-of-neuroscience-left-column-2 is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\r\n<p style=\"font-size:23px;letter-spacing:0px\"><strong><strong>Neuromodulation<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"has-custom-lineheight\" style=\"font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300;line-height:1.25\">Neuromodulation is a technology that electrically stimulates nerves or chemically targets neurological sites to treat a vast array of conditions and symptoms.&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"has-custom-lineheight\" style=\"font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300;line-height:1.25\">I specifically learned about transcranial direct current stimulation and the neuromodulation devices available for public purchase. These technologies provide external electrical stimulation through a helmet or headband of electrodes.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"has-custom-lineheight\" style=\"font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300;line-height:1.25\">To further demonstrate the applications of neuromodulation, we learned about electrical stimulation, perception of stimuli, and used the electrical activity captured from flexing my own muscle to contract the muscle of another intern. Through this, we could control each other\u2019s arms!<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover is-light Internship-Highlights\" style=\"min-height:59px;aspect-ratio:unset;\" id=\"highlights\"><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim-100 has-background-dim\" style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><\/span><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-cover-is-layout-flow\">\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center has-text-color\" id=\"h-internship-highlights\" style=\"color:#3e5ba9;font-size:51px;font-style:normal;font-weight:600\">Internship Highlights<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-atbs-tabs atbs__tabs_224312ff\"><ul class=\"atbs__tab-labels left make-active-tab-separate-less\" role=\"tablist\" aria-label=\"tabbed content\"><li class=\"atbs__tab-label active\" role=\"tab\" aria-selected=\"true\" aria-label=\"Dr. James Giordano\" tabindex=\"0\">Dr. James Giordano<\/li><li class=\"atbs__tab-label\" role=\"tab\" aria-selected=\"false\" aria-label=\"Deep Brain Stimulation\" tabindex=\"0\">Deep Brain Stimulation<\/li><li class=\"atbs__tab-label\" role=\"tab\" aria-selected=\"false\" aria-label=\"The Creative Brain\" tabindex=\"0\">The Creative Brain<\/li><li class=\"atbs__tab-label\" role=\"tab\" aria-selected=\"false\" aria-label=\"Experts &amp; Mentors\" tabindex=\"0\">Experts &amp; Mentors<\/li><\/ul><div class=\"atbs__tab-content\">\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-atbs-tab atbs__tab-panel\" role=\"tabpanel\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-labelledby=\"Dr. James Giordano\">\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lichangesummer.org\/2024studentsite\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Elias_Sharifi_2024_IMG_6377.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-8077 size-full\"\/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\r\n<p class=\"has-custom-lineheight\" style=\"font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300;line-height:1.2\">I had the chance to work and collaborate directly with Dr. James Giordano, Chief of Georgetown University\u2019s Neuroethics Studies Program.&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"has-custom-lineheight\" style=\"font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300;line-height:1.2\">In addition to his involvement with a variety of educational institutions, Dr. Giordano is the author of over 350 publications in neuroscience and neuroethics.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"has-custom-lineheight\" style=\"font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300;line-height:1.2\">During our first meeting, Dr. Giordano guided us through an exploration of our own brains, minds, and selves, probing for the problems, meanings, and questions within the world that surrounds us.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"has-custom-lineheight\" style=\"font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300;line-height:1.2\">In subsequent meetings, Dr. Giordano frequently prompted both introspection and extrospection to encourage familiarity with our own minds, as well as our environment, and how the two can interact to our benefit.<\/p>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-atbs-tab atbs__tab-panel\" role=\"tabpanel\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-labelledby=\"Deep Brain Stimulation\">\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lichangesummer.org\/2024studentsite\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Copy-of-Elias_Sharifi_2024_IMG_0860.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-8079 size-full\"\/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\r\n<p class=\"has-custom-lineheight\" style=\"font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300;line-height:1.2\">I had the unique opportunity to learn from Dr. Michael Okun, a neurologist, neuroscientist, and founder of the University of Florida\u2019s Movement Disorders Program.&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"has-custom-lineheight\" style=\"font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300;line-height:1.2\">The university\u2019s program aims to provide interdisciplinary and integrated care that facilitates communication between all members of their team to provide the best care possible.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"has-custom-lineheight\" style=\"font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300;line-height:1.2\">Within his work, Dr. Okun utilizes Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), which operates like a pacemaker within the brain and is often inserted via conscious surgery.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"has-custom-lineheight\" style=\"font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300;line-height:1.2\">During this operation, electrodes are put in the brain to regulate electrical signals and help with conditions like Epilepsy, Parkinson\u2019s Disease, Dystonia, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and Essential Tremor.<\/p>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-atbs-tab atbs__tab-panel\" role=\"tabpanel\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-labelledby=\"The Creative Brain\">\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lichangesummer.org\/2024studentsite\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Neuro-Main-Headshot-for-DBS.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-8081 size-full\"\/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\r\n<p class=\"has-custom-lineheight\" style=\"font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300;line-height:1.2\">I had the opportunity to discuss stimulating creativity through brain science with Dr. Adam Green, the Director of the Lab for Relational Cognition at Georgetown University.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"has-custom-lineheight\" style=\"font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300;line-height:1.2\">Dr. Green maintains that creative insights are \u201cthe product of connections made between things other people didn\u2019t put together,\u201d and we explored the neurological foundations of this theory.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"has-custom-lineheight\" style=\"font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300;line-height:1.2\">In one of his most prominent experiments, Dr. Green had participants draw the analogies to evaluate semantic distance and creativity as explained above, but also regarded the potential role of neuromodulation.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"has-custom-lineheight\" style=\"font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300;line-height:1.2\">tDCS is transcranial direct current stimulation, which is a non-invasive &#8220;helmet&#8221; of sorts that allows for the modification of the neural pathways&#8217; firing in the brain. The external stimulator is placed on the scalp and then provides electrical stimulation to a broad region in order to control the neurons&#8217; firing. We also had&nbsp; a chance to observe and try neurofeedback technology that uses how we learn to help us train our brains in real time!<\/p>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-atbs-tab atbs__tab-panel\" role=\"tabpanel\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-labelledby=\"Experts &amp; Mentors\">\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lichangesummer.org\/2024studentsite\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Elias_Sharifi_2024_IMG_7696.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-8084 size-full\"\/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\r\n<p class=\"has-custom-lineheight\" style=\"font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300;line-height:1.2\">Along with Dr. Giordano, I had the opportunity to work closely with Dr. Rachel Wurzman, a Dana Foundation Fellow in Neuroscience and Society.&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"has-custom-lineheight\" style=\"font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300;line-height:1.2\">Dr. Wurzman encouraged us to think critically about the questions that help drive science forwards and improve our understanding of the world around us through a biopsychosocial lens. She also lent her expertise of neuroplasticity, neurodiversity, and neuroethics to help our team develop our research proposal.&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"has-custom-lineheight\" style=\"font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300;line-height:1.2\">In addition to our work with Dr. Wurzman, we had the opportunity to meet with a variety of neuroscientists with a variety of unique specialities.&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"is-style-default has-custom-lineheight\" style=\"font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300;line-height:1.2\">One such professional was Dr. Fernando Pagan, a Georgetown Neurologist and the Director of Movement Disorders, who is a nationally recognized leader in Parkinson\u2019s Disease treatment. We were able to learn about Movement Disorders from various perspectives as Dr. Pagan was joined by Captain Rick Schena, who lives with Parkinson\u2019s and explains how his treatment plan allows him to still do what he would like to do.&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-17469","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v15.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>NeuroEliasSharifi - Leadership Initiatives<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/lichangesummer.org\/2024studentsite\/neuroeliassharifi\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"NeuroEliasSharifi - Leadership Initiatives\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/lichangesummer.org\/2024studentsite\/neuroeliassharifi\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Leadership Initiatives\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-08-07T18:56:54+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/lichangesummer.org\/2023\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/2021-neuro-logo-min-1.png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\">\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"1 minute\">\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/lichangesummer.org\/2024studentsite\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/lichangesummer.org\/2024studentsite\/\",\"name\":\"Leadership Initiatives\",\"description\":\"Programs That Inspire Students To Transform The World\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":\"https:\/\/lichangesummer.org\/2024studentsite\/?s={search_term_string}\",\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en\"},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/lichangesummer.org\/2024studentsite\/neuroeliassharifi\/#primaryimage\",\"inLanguage\":\"en\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/lichangesummer.org\/2023\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/2021-neuro-logo-min-1.png\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/lichangesummer.org\/2024studentsite\/neuroeliassharifi\/#webpage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/lichangesummer.org\/2024studentsite\/neuroeliassharifi\/\",\"name\":\"NeuroEliasSharifi - Leadership Initiatives\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/lichangesummer.org\/2024studentsite\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/lichangesummer.org\/2024studentsite\/neuroeliassharifi\/#primaryimage\"},\"datePublished\":\"2024-06-07T13:37:47+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-08-07T18:56:54+00:00\",\"inLanguage\":\"en\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/lichangesummer.org\/2024studentsite\/neuroeliassharifi\/\"]}]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lichangesummer.org\/2024studentsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/17469","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lichangesummer.org\/2024studentsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lichangesummer.org\/2024studentsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lichangesummer.org\/2024studentsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lichangesummer.org\/2024studentsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17469"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/lichangesummer.org\/2024studentsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/17469\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26421,"href":"https:\/\/lichangesummer.org\/2024studentsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/17469\/revisions\/26421"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lichangesummer.org\/2024studentsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17469"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}