Aishini is a rising senior at UC Davis. There, she conducts research in the Ori-McKenney Lab on the phosphorylation of microtubule-associated protein tau following traumatic brain injury and has investigated the underlying dopaminergic and serotonergic neuronal activity in the development of tau pathology. At UCLA, Aishini works under Dr. Anthony Covarrubias in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics to conduct research on cell cycle regulators p21 and p16 in senescent macrophages. Cellular senescence, a cell fate characterized by irreversible cell-cycle arrest in response to various stressors, is an emerging driver of aging and aging-associated diseases. The Covarrubias lab has identified macrophages as a new cell type that can undergo senescence. Subsequent tests performed by the lab indicate an increase in senescent marker p21 in senescent macrophages, but a decrease in senescent marker p16. Aishini’s project in the Covarrubias lab thus entails determining the role of p21 and p16 in the senescent programming of macrophages. She is using CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing to generate p16 and p21 knock-outs in primary macrophages. Then, following treatment with irradiation, which is known to induce senescence through DNA damage, she will conduct various assays on these cells to test the effects on senescent programming. She hypothesizes that p21, but not p16, is important for macrophage senescent programming, and overall aims to identify markers of cellular senescence in resident macrophages. Aishini would like to thank the entire Covarrubias lab, especially Dr. Anthony Covarrubias and graduate student Grasiela Torres, and the Amgen Foundation for this opportunity to enhance her skills as a researcher.