Student group supports young stem cell researchers

Julie Harness studied many things – architecture, graphic design, marketing and psychology – before she found her niche in stem cell biology. “Stem cells are the basic building blocks of the body,” says the doctoral student. “So in many ways I have returned to my architectural roots.” President of the UC Irvine chapter of the Student Society for Stem Cell Research, Harness helps peers build futures in the stem cell field by connecting them with faculty mentors, potential employers and people with illnesses that stem cell therapies may one day cure.