Independent Research Editor Spotlight: Olti Jakupllari

Olti Jakupllari is a Sophomore at UM on the premedical track. Although he is uncertain about his major, he has a deep understanding of and passion for neuroscience. While completing his undergraduate course work, Olti spends his time researching zebrafish. The surprising aspect between neuroscience and zebrafish is their regenerative abilities. They can regenerate tissues to repair injured organs and even their spinal cord (Zebrafish at the Heart of Regeneration Therapy, n.d..). In his lab, they analyze this unique regeneration and try to apply it to neurological conditions in humans. Their current focus is on traumatic brain injuries (TBI). TBI is a neurological condition that occurs after a physical trauma to the brain. Symptoms include headaches, confusion, seizures, slurred speech and more (Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) | National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, n.d.). There are many different categories that fall under TBI which range in severity, the most severe having high death rates. In their lab, they are looking to find regenerative mechanisms that occur in zebrafish and how they can be integrated into treatments for TBI.

For Olti, this research is a stepping stone towards a career as a physician scientist. A role which combines clinical practice with biomedical research. Olti wants to use his expertise in neuroscience to research andtreat neurological conditions. One challenge that he recognises in the biomedical field is the lack of funding. He explained how there have been drastic drops in funding NIH research. This has been exacerbated by the new funding limitations under the Trump Administration (Kozlov et al., 2025). The aim was to cut “research overhead” costs down 15%. These are costs going towards administrative fees and costs going towards the research institutions. The policies, although recently blocked, represent the lack of concern regarding critical biomedical research. For Olti, this is a huge issue which he intends to address throughout his career.

Olti is interested in public health because of its intersection with biomedical research. He wants to be on the critical side of scientific communication through research, which is an integral part of public health. He wants to work in an academic institution where he can promote thinking and leadership to encourage future research in neuroscience. This is why Olti felt drawn to the Undergraduate Journal of Public Health (UJPH), he wants to allow undergraduate students to display their independent research and opinions on issues across disciplines. He believes that UJPH will introduce him to other areas of public health and expand his knowledge outside of neuroscience. His deep commitment to science will have critical effects on clinical research and public health.

References

Kozlov, M., Garisto, D., & Ledford, H. (2025). ‘Devastating’ cuts to NIH grants by

Trump’s team put on hold by US judge. Nature. https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-025-

00436-1

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. (n.d.). Traumatic brain injury

(TBI). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health.

Retrieved February 11, 2025, from https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-

information/disorders/traumatic-brain-injury-tbi

Understanding Animal Research. (n.d.). Zebrafish at the heart of regeneration therapy.

Retrieved February 11, 2025, from

https://www.understandinganimalresearch.org.uk/news/zebrafish-at-the-heart-of-

regeneration-therapy