Bassel Shawareb

My research interests range from the microscopic details of a neuron to the macroscopic institutions shaping the social determinants of health. Coming into Penn as a pre-med student, I knew I had a particular interest in neurodegenerative disease. This led me to join the Orthmann-Murphy Lab to study the role of glia in myelin disorders using a mouse model. As I started getting involved in clinical experiences in several countries, I realized the extent of the effect of social factors on patients. This drove me to become a Health and Healthcare Fellow in Sociology (2024-2025), a Medical Sociology minor, and a member of several service-oriented clubs such as Penn for Unicef. I know how overwhelming it can be when first trying to get involved in research. If you don't know where to start or have any other biomedical/social research questions, don't hesitate to contact me using my Penn email.

• Research assistant in Orthmann-Murphy Lab, Perelman School of Medicine, May 2023-present
• CURF Fall Research Expo 2023
• Penn Undergraduate Research Mentorship (PURM), Summer 2023