Ayesha Umrigar
Graduate Assistant
Department of Genetics Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center
New Orleans, LA 70112
Email: aumrig@lsuhsc.edu
Ayesha Umrigar is currently a senior PhD student in the Department of Genetics at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. She received her Bachelor of Sciences degree from the University of New Orleans in 2014. Her research under the mentorship of Dr. Fern Tsien, involves the usage of next-generation sequencing technologies to uncover new genetic mutations that contribute to early-age hearing loss. This project primarily focuses on individuals from vulnerable founder populations, such as the Louisiana Acadians and the Mexican Mayans, who are more susceptible to inheriting these hearing loss-causing mutations. After graduation, she plans to enter the field of science policy where she hopes to use her degree and skills to contribute to the development of legislation that governs scientific research.