Aswathy Ammothumkandy is a postdoctoral research associate at University of Southern California, Stem Cell department. She has 15 years of dedicated research experience in unraveling the mysteries of human diseases, specializing in diverse areas such as neuroscience, epilepsy, cancer biology, and stem cell biology. She adeptly navigates the intersection of basic and clinical sciences, fostering cohesive collaborations among clinicians and basic scientists. Aswathy's journey into biomedical research began with a pivotal high school field trip in her hometown in India, where she was inspired by scientific breakthroughs. She pursued her academic journey with a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology from Amrita University, India, followed by an Integrated Masters and PhD from the National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore, India.

Currently, as a Research Associate in Dr. Michael Bonaguidi’s lab at the Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine, USC, she leads collaborative efforts with neurologists, neurosurgeons and neuropsychologists. Their collective aim is to decipher the cellular changes contributing to neuronal hyperactivity and cognitive decline in human epilepsy patients, utilizing surgically resected brain tissue that is donated by pharmacoresistant epilepsy patients. Recognized for her work, she received fellowships from the American Epilepsy Society (AES) and California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). Aswathy’s overarching career aspiration is to drive fundamental research towards translational directions, facilitating seamless collaboration between scientists and clinicians to identify novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for human neurological diseases.