Builds

USC · Caltech

Building neural interfaces.

About me

I'm Celine Nova, a Biomedical Engineering student at USC building neural interfaces and brain-computer interfaces at Caltech.

I'm interested in the emergence of biotechnology, especially neurotechnology, and how tools that interact with the nervous system will reshape medicine and what it means to be human.

Build history

From wet lab to neural interfaces.

01

NIURA, BioTech Company

Engineering Intern

New York City, NY
  • Co-authored four USPTO utility patents for EEG-integrated earbuds designed for productivity optimization and clinical brainwave monitoring.
  • Presented the company at TechCrunch Startup Battlefield, the Wharton Neuroscience Initiative, and the BMES National Competition.
  • Helped secure more than $8M in venture capital through pitches to Fortune 500 executives and biotech investors.
02
New York City, NY
  • Developed an AI model to identify molecules that reverse harmful SORL1 gene expression linked to Alzheimer’s disease.
  • Screened five candidate compounds and tested three in C. elegans to evaluate therapeutic potential in neurodegeneration models.
03
New York City, NY
  • Investigated LINE1 retrotransposons and PLCG2 gene variants using CRISPR-Cas9, RNA sequencing, and lipidomics to study neurodegeneration.
  • Applied AI-based drug-repurposing models to identify five FDA-approved therapeutics targeting PLCG2.
  • Authored a 20-page manuscript combining wet-lab and computational results and presented the findings at conferences.

Neuroplasticity

The brain redraws itself.

Brain pathways strengthening, pruning, and rerouting