In 2022, I had the honor of receiving a prestigious scholarship through the AASEP program of the Hellenic Biomedical Association, which supported my traineeship at the Roussos Lab at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York.
Having just graduated from medical school, I was eager to expand my training beyond clinical practice and gain hands-on experience in neuroscience research. This scholarship not only enabled me to obtain a J-1 Short-Term Scholar visa, but also provided crucial financial support—especially meaningful in a city as expensive as New York.
During my four-month traineeship under the mentorship of Dr. Panos Roussos, I was introduced to molecular techniques aimed at identifying genetic risk variants associated with neuropsychiatric disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. This marked my first in-depth exposure to research and played a pivotal role in shaping my interest in neuroscience.
Following the traineeship, I was offered a position as an associate researcher in the same lab. There, I had the incredible opportunity to work with advanced in vitro models—including brain organoids—to investigate the mechanisms of neurodegeneration and hippocampal neurodevelopment.
This invaluable research experience, combined with my growing passion for neuroscience, led to my acceptance into the Neuroscience PhD program at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, beginning in 2025. I view this program as a key step toward my long-term goal of becoming a Physician-Scientist in Neurology—integrating clinical care and research to better understand and treat neurological disorders.
Looking back, I recognize that every journey begins with a single step. For me, that first step was the AASEP-supported traineeship, which opened the door to a career in neuroscience. None of this would have been possible without the support of the AASEP program and the Hellenic Biomedical Association, to whom I am deeply grateful.
Konstantina Psychogyiou, MD
Incoming Neuroscience PhD Student
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York
