Meet the Team

Charisse Winston, M.Sc., PhD is an Assistant Professor at the University of Southern California (USC) in the Keck School of Medicine. Dr. Winston received her Bachelor’s in Biochemistry from the University of Virginia, her Master’s in Biochemistry, and her PhD in Neuroscience from Georgetown University. Her main research areas includes racial/ethnic disparities in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), specifically understanding how extracellular vesicles (EVs) contribute to the molecular environment that fosters AD amongst minoritized and underrepresented individuals. 

Ruslan Rust, PhD, holds the position of Assistant Professor of Research in Physiology and Neuroscience at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. He previously worked as a principal investigator at the Institute of Regenerative Medicine (IREM) at the University of Zurich in Switzerland. His research aims to address existing challenges in stem cell therapies for brain injuries, such as stroke, through the use of advanced genetic, molecular, and computational tools.

Sunwoo Choi is a rising senior at Westwood High School with a strong passion for Neuroscience. He has done research on Dopamine Induction within Adolescent Working Memory, which won the 2025 Greater Austin Regional Science and Engineering Fair and will be presented at the 2025 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair. In addition, Sunwoo has publications regarding language learning and pluripotent cells. He is also an officer for his school's Neuroscience and Neurodiversity Club, where he has tutored and lead study sessions for the Brain Bee. Sunwoo's main role in the club will be to lead discussions, provide any resources in regards to research and literature review, and ensure an excellent club experience.