Anastacia Orekhova

Undergraduate Researcher

My name is Anastacia, and I'm a junior undergraduate neuroscience student at Temple's College of Science and Technology. My scientific journey began when I applied to Delaware County Community College as a Science for Health Professions major. Prior to that, I struggled to choose a major. I never took AP science classes in high school, and I completed one year of college as an English major in my home country, Belarus. Despite that, I've always been fascinated by science since I was a kid, especially psychology. I didn't just want to study behavior; my interest went deeper than that. I realized I wanted to study the cellular and molecular processes in the brain responsible for that behavior — that's how I discovered neuroscience. I started by taking my first basic biology and chemistry classes at my community college and eventually transferred to Temple University to continue working toward my Bachelor's degree in Neuroscience. More recently, I've become interested in genetics and am currently planning to pursue a Master's degree in a related field.

Meeting Dr. Chen and discovering his lab was an incredible opportunity to start undergraduate research. He is very dedicated to and passionate about the subject, and he provides a comfortable environment for students seeking research experience. I'm looking forward to working with Dr. Chen and building a better understanding of what real research looks like.

(Joined in January 2026)

Awards

The Creative Arts, Research And Scholarship (CARAS) Program 2026 Summer, Temple University