Alum Earns Fulbright to Study Stem Cells

Steven Lee ’13, who earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology with honors, has been awarded a prestigious Fulbright U.S. Student Program grant to conduct biology research in Korea.

“This award will allow me to understand different viewpoints on how to treat (currently) incurable diseases,” he says. “Additionally, the Fulbright will further my knowledge on stem cells and potential ways to use them as a treatment option.”

Lee’s Fulbright research at Seoul National University in South Korea is focused on “The implications of NLRP3 and NLRP7 on human multipotent mesenchymal stem cells.” “The main focus of this research is to analyze the effects of these two genes (NLRP3 and NLRP7) and identify potential obstacles that can arise when using stem cells to treat diseases,” he says.

While at Westmont, Lee conducted research at USC, extending his knowledge of stem-cell treatments. His goal is to pursue a medical degree, possibly enrolling in a doctoral or master’s program in medicine.

The Fulbright Program, sponsored by the U.S. government, is an international education exchange designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the U. S. and other countries. Fulbright grant recipients are selected on the basis of academic and professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential.