Interview with Irfan Kathiriya: How to Make or Break Your Heart

By: Sahiti Namburu School: Terra Linda High School

Dr. Kathiriya is a pediatric cardiac anesthesiologist and Professor of Anesthesia at the University of California, San Francisco who specializes in congenital heart defects at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital. Congenital heart defects are structural problems that affect the cardiovascular system, the heart's ability to pump blood effectively. His research focuses on how the human heart develops from a simple tube into a complex four-chambered organ and what goes wrong during this process. Congenital heart defects are one the of the most common types of birth defects, affecting about 1% of newborns. Dr. Kathiriya presented his findings during a Marin Science Seminar presentation on March 18, 2026, titled “How to Make or Break Your Heart.” He introduced how specific genes guide heart cell organization during development. His work aims to improve the diagnosis, treatment, and long-term outcomes for children born with heart conditions.

1. What initially motivated you, as a pediatric cardiac anesthesiologist, to focus your research on infants with congenital heart disease? Was there a particular experience, patient interaction, or scientific discovery that shaped your path? 

My interest in congenital heart defects began when I was a graduate student in the laboratory of Dr. Deepak Srivastava, where I focused on how important genes work together to develop the heart before birth. During that time, a colleague, Dr. Vidu Garg, was studying families affected by congenital heart defects to understand how some of these defects could be inherited. He uncovered mutations in a gene called GATA4, which happened to be one of the genes I was studying. I helped reveal how those mutations changed the gene’s functions. These discoveries showed me how basic science could help explain how disease happens in patients, and how studying patients could help us better understand basic biology. Since then, my research has been guided by the links between congenital heart defects in patients with congenital heart defects and the biology of heart development.

2. What are some specific advancements or breakthroughs that have significantly improved patient outcomes, and how have these changes impacted your own work? 

A breakthrough in caring for newborns with serious congenital heart defects was the development of synthetic prostaglandins. For some newborns with critical heart disease, this medication can keep open a small blood vessel, which is essential for circulation and gives physicians valuable time to stabilize babies and plan life-saving treatment or surgery. Advances like this have improved survival for infants with complex heart defects. Over time, improvements in diagnosis, medical management, intensive care, surgery, anesthesia, and postoperative care have all helped children do much better than they did in earlier generations.

3. In your clinical and research experience, have you noticed any changes in the rates of congenital heart defects and severity over time?

Congenital heart defects are still the most common type of birth defect, and their frequency has not really changed. What has changed is our ability to detect them earlier and more accurately. With better prenatal imaging and newborn screening, pediatric cardiologists find many heart defects that might once have gone unrecognized. This has contributed to improvements in survival. Many children born with serious heart defects are now living longer and healthier lives because of advances in medical and surgical care. As a result, we now care for more children, teenagers, and adults living with congenital heart defects than ever before.

4. Does the timing of when a heart defect develops during embryonic growth influence how serious the defect becomes? 

Timing is important. The heart is one of the first organs to form in pregnancy, by a carefully orchestrated series of steps. If something disrupts that process at an early stage, it can sometimes lead to a more complex heart defect. If the disruption happens later, the problem may be more limited, depending on which part of the heart is developing then. However, timing is only one part of the story. The seriousness of a heart defect also depends on which structures may be affected, how much blood flow is altered, and if other genetic or developmental factors may be involved.

5. Once a heart defect forms during development, is there any stage where it can naturally correct itself, or is medical intervention always required?

Some heart defects can improve on their own. For example, small holes in the heart may sometimes close naturally as a baby grows. In those cases, careful monitoring may be all that is needed. However, many congenital heart defects do not correct themselves and require medical treatment, a procedure, or surgery. It depends on the type of defect and how much it affects the heart’s function.

Personal Reflection: Learning about congenital heart defects was especially interesting to me because I never fully understood what the term actually meant or how serious these conditions can be. Hearing about how the heart develops during early pregnancy and how small genetic changes can affect that process helped me realize the importance of this research and the impact it has on families. I also found the presentation personally meaningful because I know someone who needed a heart transplant shortly after birth. Being able to connect what I learned to a real life story made the topic feel much more personal and impactful. Overall, the talk gave me a greater appreciation for the advances in medicine and research towards these efforts.

Interview with Paloma Siegel: Water as a History Book: Stories Hidden in Alaska's Glaciers

By: Linden Levy     School: Terra Linda High School (MSEL)

Paloma Siegel

On Wednesday, January 28, 2026, the seminar was hosted by Paloma Siegel and titled Water as a History Book: Stories Hidden in Alaska’s Glaciers. Paloma Siegel is a PhD candidate at the University of Boulder, Colorado, and a graduate of Terra Linda High School's Marin School of Environmental Leadership (MSEL). Her talk discussed how ice coring works and all the things Isotopes can teach us, as it is her specialty. She also explored everything from how glaciers are formed on the molecular level to how they can help us learn all about climate change by studying their layers.


Glaciology is the study of the internal dynamics and effects of glaciers. But Siegel's specific area of study is ice coring. Ice coring is drilling with special machines into glaciers to specific depths, and then they ship the ice cores around the world to labs that can study them, or they study the cores themselves. Through special machinery and with the help of professionals, they can assign the different layers of ice to a year or a time in history. This is used to reconstruct what old climates looked like over thousands of years, and this can help us to predict future climates.

Perito Moreno Glacier

1. What would someone be surprised to know about glaciology?

Glaciology is a fascinating field with a ton of variety in science, region, and focus. Glaciers exist on all continents except Australia and can even exist near the equator in high mountainous regions. The thickest glaciers in the world exist in Antarctica, where the ice can reach 4.9 km (over 3 miles) deep (Windnagel et al., 2023)! And although glaciology as a discipline dates back to approximately the early-mid 1800s, the American McMurdo Station in Antarctica was not established until 1955, with US women first allowed to attend McMurdo in 1969 (Klein et al., 2008, “Women in Antarctica”).


2. How do you imagine glaciology changing as our world evolves due to climate change?

- In our current world changing quickly due to climate change, I imagine that glaciology will become less focused on fieldwork and international travel and more focused on remote sensing, modeling, and computer-based work. These are already prominent fields within glaciology today, but as field sites may become more inaccessible, this shift may start to occur more broadly.


3. As someone who works in Alaska studying glaciology, do you think that we can bring back some, if not all, of the glaciers that have melted?


- Within our lifetime, it is unlikely that Alaskan glaciers will return to their original size at the beginning of the 20th century and prior. The glacier loss that has already occurred is tremendous, with melt and ice loss increasing each year (Zemp et al., 2019). On longer timescales, Alaskan glaciers may rebound and continue to grow, but this may not be for a very long time.



4. To someone who aspires to enter a scientific field, especially a young woman, what advice would you give them?

- My advice to any woman seeking careers in science is to surround yourself with a kind, supportive community of people that value your independent intellectual growth and, most importantly, you as a person. Each field poses its own challenges to women, but within each discipline you can find fantastic mentors, labs, collaborators, and fellow students. I would advise any woman to continue pursuing her interests, regardless of the challenges that may come her way, and remind herself that she is meant to be in the rooms she is in, no matter what.


5. How did your time at the Marin School of Environmental Leadership impact your college career?

- My time as an MSEL student really guided me towards project-based environmental science. I have always been interested in working in an environmental field, but I really found my focus while in high school as an MSEL student. The emphasis on combined group projects, individual presentations, and independent internships provided me with a suite of valuable skills I’ve taken into my career now. Mostly, I think my time at MSEL taught me how to ask critical questions and seek advice from mentors.


6. Do you have hopes of passing any laws or policies in the future, considering that it can be difficult to remain optimistic with so many challenges in this field?


-As a research scientist, my aim throughout my career is not to create or write legislation. Rather, my hope is to contribute to relevant science that will inform future regulations and laws concerning climate change mitigation, conservation, and adaptation.

-Want to learn more about what Paloma does? click here

Personal Reflection:  In attending this Marin Science Seminar, I really enjoyed learning about a topic I didn't previously know existed. Personally, I aspire to become a marine biologist, and in hearing Paloma talk about her experiences, especially since we have similar beginnings, as we both have or will graduate from MSEL, and we were raised in the same town. Even though glaciers aren't exactly the same as the ocean, I gained a new understanding and respect for all forms of water and all the wonderful things it can teach us.

Further Reading from Paloma:
-Klein, Andrew G., Mahlon C. Kennicutt, Gary A. Wolff, Steve T. Sweet, Tiffany Bloxom, Dianna A. Gielstra, and Marietta Cleckley. “The Historical Development of McMurdo Station, Antarctica, an Environmental Perspective.” Polar Geography 31, no. 3–4 (September 2008)

-Windnagel, Ann, Regine Hock, Fabien Maussion, Frank Paul, Philipp Rastner, Bruce Raup, and Michael, “Which Glaciers Are the Largest in the World?” Journal of Glaciology 69, no. 274 (April 2023)

-“ Women in Antarctica | NZ History. Zemp, M., M. Huss, E. Thibert, N. Eckert, R. McNabb, J. Huber, M. Barandun, et al.

- “Global Glacier Mass Changes and Their Contributions to Sea-Level Rise from 1961 to 2016.” Nature 568, no. 7752 (April 18, 2019)

-Windnagel, Ann, Regine Hock, Fabien Maussion, Frank Paul, Philipp Rastner, Bruce Raup, and Michael Zemp. “Which Glaciers Are the Largest in the World?” Journal of Glaciology 69, no. 274 (April 2023)

Sources:

-Paloma's picture is from the University of Colorado Boulder's Institute of Arctic website

-Glacier photo from Tripadvisor

Learn more about Marin Science Seminar here:
MarinScienceSeminar.com

Interview with Taren Bouwman: Fantastic Fungi: uses for Environmental Sustainability and Carbon Sequestration

By: Sahiti Namburu    School: Terra Linda High School

On Wednesday, January 14, 2026, the Marin Science Seminar hosted Fantastic Fungi: Uses for Environmental Sustainability and Carbon Sequestration, presented by Taren Bouwman, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Hawai‘i Mānoa and a graduate of Terra Linda High School’s Marin School of Environmental Leadership (MSEL). His talk explored the ways fungi act as hidden heroes within ecosystems, highlighting their potential to help address climate change through environmental sustainability.

Mycology is a part of biology that focuses mainly on fungi, as well as some mushroom and yeast. Bouwman’s research centers on lichens, which is a result of a symbiotic relationship between fungus and alga/cyanobacteria, and functions like a single unit. They can thrive in harsh environments and come in many different shapes and forms. A major theme of his talk included carbon sequestration - a process that captures and stores carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. While past methods, such as iron seeding (adding iron into oceans to stimulate algae growth), have shown limited effect, Bouwman’s work explores how using lichen could provide an alternate yet sustainable/successful way to store carbon.

1. What first inspired you to study mycology, and was there a specific experience that further expanded your interest in this field?

I actually became a mycologist on accident, I was more interested in molecular biology and carbon sequestration and after a lot of research in the field I found that Fungi are a novel use for carbon sequestration.

2. What part of your current research do you think has the greatest potential to influence how we understand and combat climate change in the future?

I am actively researching how Fungi are involved in making large biomass particles. Examining differences between different fungi biological makeup and their propensity to sink. I also examine how algae and fungi interact and the evolutionary path of lichens

3. Nutrient cycling is an essential process in ecosystems where elements like carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and more are renewed back into the environment. What is the most common type of decomposer fungi in ecosystems, and what role do they play in nutrient cycling?

Fungi are key for waste recycling, the most common type of fungi is dependent on the ecosystem. They are essential for breaking down materials. They are usually breaking down complex molecules into simple ones that can be utilized by primary producers, recycling the nutrients.

4. Carbon sequestration is a method to capture and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to reduce the effects of climate change. What are the ecological risks or unintended consequences of large-scale algae growth in the ocean, especially when it’s used for carbon sequestration?

There are many theories for what mass growth of algae in the open ocean will do, primarily with losing biodiversity. It is incredibly important to study algae cultivation at a small and reversible scale before mass adoption so that negative side effects can be minimized.

5. In your talk, you mentioned iron seeding as a proposed method for ocean-based carbon sequestration that has shown limited success. How does your research on lichens offer a different or a more effective approach to long-term carbon storage?

In my talk I discuss fungi as the next step in this process by potentially promoting downward carbon flux. This idea has not been examined yet so it remains to be determined if it will be successful. This is my primary research.

Personal Reflection: Attending this Marin Science Seminar deepened my understanding of how fungi contribute to environmental sustainability. Before the talk, I thought of fungi mainly as decomposers, and I never realized they could be used to help remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Learning about lichens and the symbiotic relationship between fungi and algae made it especially interesting to see how these organisms could play a pivotal role in carbon sequestration. The comparison between iron seeding and lichen-based approaches highlighted the importance of using natural systems that already function effectively. Overall, the seminar increased my curiosity about how overlooked organisms can offer innovative solutions to major environmental challenges.

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Learn more about the Marin Science Seminar here: https://marinscienceseminar.com/ 

Additional Information about Fungi and Taren Bouwman: https://marinscienceseminar.com/fantastic-fungi-uses-for-environmental-sustainability-and-carbon-sequestration/

https://www2.hawaii.edu/~nn33/lab/index.html

https://www.c-maiki.org/anthony-amend 

Interview with Dr. Barnes: The Epidemiology of Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia

 By Sahiti Namburu, Terra Linda High School

Dr. Barnes

Dementia is one of the fastest-growing public health challenges of our time, significantly affecting cognitive health in millions of older adults. While dementia is the general term used to describe the decline in mental function that impacts memory, thinking, and daily functioning, there are different types, such as Alzheimer’s disease, which is more common and often the hardest to combat. To better understand the science behind dementia and what researchers are doing to reduce the risk of it, Dr. Deborah Barnes, a leading epidemiologist and professor at UCSF, gave a fascinating presentation about it at the Marin Science Seminar. Her work focuses on identifying risk factors and testing different strategies to lower risk and progression of symptoms. In this interview, the topic of dementia is explored in greater depth, helping individuals understand more about brain health and the ways to support people affected by dementia.

What inspired you to focus your research specifically on Alzheimer’s disease and dementia prevention within the broader field of cognitive health?

When I started my Master's degree in public health in the late 1990's, I learned that we were expecting a large increase in the number of people living with Alzheimer's disease and dementia worldwide by the year 2050. This was very concerning because Alzheimer's and dementia are really difficult diseases to deal with for people who develop them as well as their families, and there were very few treatments and no cures. So I decided to study the epidemiology of Alzheimer's and dementia, to look at Alzheimer's and dementia using the lens of public health.

How has the field of dementia research changed since you began your work, particularly in terms of technology and the methods used to study and prevent the disease?

When I started, the focus was mainly on basic science and development of drugs and biomarkers. There are two main proteins that are affected by Alzheimer's disease — beta-amyloid and tau — and for many years there was a divide in the community regarding the "amyloid hypothesis," which posited that beta-amyloid was the key causative protein. Most of the funding went toward testing the amyloid hypothesis and developing anti-amyloid drugs. The recently approved new drugs (lecanemab and donanemab) are monoclonal antibodies that target amyloid. There also has been a push to change the definition of Alzheimer's from a disease based on symptoms (cognitive decline that affects daily life) to a disease based on biomarkers (in which case someone could have "Alzheimer's disease" if they had high amyloid levels even if they didn't have any cognitive symptoms). In my opinion, the biggest shift has been to acknowledge the potential impact of risk reduction and prevention, rather than focusing solely on drug treatments. This is more of a low-tech, public health orientation. I think this shift has occurred because the anti-amyloid drugs are effective at clearing amyloid but not very effective for treating or curing symptoms. I think people agree now that multiple approaches will be needed to really address Alzheimer's.

Based on your and others’ research, what lifestyle changes or habits have shown the most significant effect in reducing the risk of dementia?

Physical activity is consistently identified as one of the most important lifestyle behaviors to reduce dementia risk. This is because physical activity has a direct effect on the brain, bringing oxygen and nutrients through increased blood flow and stimulating the growth of new nerve cells and new connections between them (neurogenesis), and also reduces the risk of many other conditions that affect brain health including hypertension, diabetes, and depression. One of the other biggest risk factors is low education. This is particularly true in other parts of the world where educational opportunities are more limited than they are in the U.S. The 2024 Lancet Commission identifies 14 modifiable risk factors that together contribute to nearly half of Alzheimer's cases.

Is there a correlation or pattern among the factors that help prevent dementia, and could this knowledge potentially lead to a cure in the future?

There are two main ways that the risk factors are correlated with each other to impact brain health. One is related to the vascular system — or blood flow to the brain. Hypertension, diabetes, smoking, cholesterol, obesity, alcohol, physical inactivity, and air pollution can all impact the vascular system. The other is related to cognitive reserve — or increasing the brain's ability to function despite underlying pathology such as amyloid and tau. Low education, hearing loss, vision loss, social isolation, physical inactivity, and head injury can all reduce cognitive reserve by impairing neurogenesis. As mentioned above, most of the treatments to date have focused on getting rid of amyloid in the brain. Unfortunately, although the drugs are effective at removing amyloid, they only have a small effect on symptoms of cognitive and functional decline. I do think that strategies to improve blood flow and stimulate neurogenesis have great potential cure Alzheimer's someday.

Since dementia causes memory loss, how well can people retain the memories they still have, and are there ways to help them maintain or strengthen these memories?

Yes, every time you have a thought or a memory, it reinforces and strengths that neural pathway. For this reason, people with Alzheimer's usually forget recently learned information first, while early life memories are often retained until later in the disease process. Engaging in activities that stimulate memories can have a positive impact — things like looking at old photo albums or listening to old songs together. Even movements and smells can trigger memories sometimes. It's also important to just "be in the moment" with someone who has memory loss. Even if they don't remember something or someone, they can still have an emotional response to a smiling face or a gentle touch in the moment.

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Learn more about the Marin Science Seminar here: https://marinscienceseminar.com/ 

Additional Information about dangerous dementia and Dr. Barnes here:  https://marinscienceseminar.com/mssarchive/speakers/dbarnes.html

Dementia Drawing: The Epidemiology of Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia

 By Sahiti Namburu, Terra Linda High School

On October 22, 2025, Dr. Barnes, a professor in UCSF’s Department of Psychiatry and a Mental Health Research Investigator at the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, gave a fascinating presentation on dementia and preventive measures people can take to minimize their risk of cognitive-related diseases. The Marin Science Seminar presentation was titled "The Epidemiology of Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia: What You Can Do to Reduce Your Risk." Inspired by the seminar, I created a piece of art representing dementia: a drawing of a brain’s anatomy surrounded by butterflies, symbolizing how memories can be lost over time. This artwork reflects my personal interpretation of how dementia affects the brain and the importance of protecting cognitive health.

Dementia Drawing

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Learn more about the Marin Science Seminar here: https://marinscienceseminar.com/ 

Additional Information about dangerous dementia and Dr. Barnes here:  https://marinscienceseminar.com/mssarchive/speakers/dbarnes.html 

Crochet Trout: Studying the Impacts of Human-made Dams on Endangered Trout Anatomy

By Sahiti Namburu, Terra Linda High School

My crochet trout project was inspired by a fascinating seminar called, “How Do Humans Influence Evolution? Studying the Impacts of Human-made Dams on Endangered Trout Anatomy,” presented by Jackie Galvez. Jackie is an ichthyologist (fish biologist) who focuses her research on  understanding the result of detrimental human impacts on various organisms, specifically fish species. Her insights and data on the anatomy of certain fish adapting over time to human influences sparked my creativity, which led to create this unique crochet trout.

Handmade Crochet Trout

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Learn more about the Marin Science Seminar here: https://marinscienceseminar.com/

Additional Information about Trout and Jackie Galvez can be found here: https://marinscienceseminar.com/go-fish-the-science-of-ichthyology-working-title/

Aurora Watercolor: Auroras & Solar Storms Seminar

By Maddie Leung, Redwood High School

    I painted this watercolor after being inspired by the incredible photos Dr. Laura Peticolas showed at her seminar, "Auroras & Solar Storms". She showed the audience a variety of auroras from all over the world: breathtaking ribbons of light, diffused auras of pink and green, and colorful streaks set against an inky sky.

    I could brush up on the composition of my work, but overall it was fun trying a wet-on-wet technique with the sky to achieve that streaky look of the auroras. In any case, it was fascinating to learn how this nighttime phenomenon occurred. We explored Earth's magnetic fields and auroras, including how auroras form from solar activity and where they appear. Dr. Peticolas also shared her experience with finding her passion and how that guided her education and career journey. Now, enjoy some fun aurora facts!

View from the International Space Station (Image Credits: NASA)

1. Astronauts Can See Auroras From Space

Astronauts aboard the International Space Station have captured incredible images of auroras from orbit. Satellites and space probes have also observed auroras on Earth and other planets like Jupiter and Saturn. From space, auroras appear as swirling bands of green, red, and purple lights over the poles. Dr. Peticolas explained that astronauts sit in the Copula Module where they have a clear view of space and are able to take pictures. 

2. They Are Created By Solar Storms & Winds

The northern lights occur when charged particles from the Sun’s solar wind interact with Earth’s magnetic field, getting drawn into the poles and colliding with gases like oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen in the atmosphere. These collisions release energy as light when they cool down after being "excited", creating the aurora’s glow. The most vibrant displays happen during solar storms, when massive bursts of plasma (which are made up of electrons and protons), are chucked from the Sun and travel through space, carrying their own magnetic fields. 

5. Aurora Can Be 50 - 370 Miles Up In The Sky

Auroras can occur at altitudes ranging from 50 to 370 miles above Earth’s surface. Their altitude depends on the type of charged particles from the solar wind and how they interact with different atmospheric gases, which also influences the colors seen in the auroral display. If you were to drive up to the average aurora 200 miles up in the sky, it would take you two and half hours to get there going eighty miles an hour. 

3. They Look Different In Real Life 

In low-light conditions, our eyes rely more on rod cells, which are good at detecting motion and shapes but not color. This means auroras may appear as faint green, gray, or whitish streaks to the naked eye. Cameras, on the other hand, have long exposure settings and can capture more vibrant colors, such as deep greens, purples, and reds. Dr. Peticolas shared a funny story about her sister not being able to see the auroras in her backyard until she took a picture of them- so don't be fooled by the dramatic pictures!

5. Auroras Occur on Other Planets 

Auroras aren't exclusive to Earth; they've been observed on other planets in our solar system, such as Jupiter and Saturn. These auroras are often much more intense than those on Earth due to stronger magnetic fields and different atmospheres.

Interested in learning more about auroras? Visit https://science.nasa.gov/sun/auroras/

Sources

NASA. (2025, February 4). Auroras - NASA Science. NASA. https://science.nasa.gov/sun/auroras/

Dobrijevic, D., & Waldek, S. (2022, March 13). Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis): What they are and how to see them. Space.com. https://www.space.com/15139-northern-lights-auroras-earth-facts-sdcmp.html#:~:text=Auroras%20tell%20us%20many%20things,and%20how%20it%20changes%20dynamically.

10 awesome Aurora Facts. 10 awesome aurora facts - Social Media Blog - Bureau of Meteorology. (n.d.). https://media.bom.gov.au/social/blog/1114/10-awesome-aurora-facts/

Notes taken from Dr. Laura Peticolas' seminar "Auroras & Solar Storms" 

Photos by NASA.gov on Commons.Wikimedia.org and may be used for educational purposes with credit