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Isabella Nassir '21: Published Researcher and Co-Chair of Yozma
For many research scientists, getting published in a prestigious, peer-reviewed journal can take years, even entire careers. For Milken student Isabella Nassir, it only took until 11th grade.
Working under the direction of James Berenson, MD – founder, president and medical and scientific director of the Institute for Myeloma and Bone Cancer Research – Isabella was a contributing author to an article appearing in Blood, the official journal of the American Society of Hematology. The project stemmed from her work as part of Milken’s Science Research Program – a three-year commitment that immerses students in the fundamentals of scientific investigation with hands-on opportunities in their chosen field.
“The idea that, as a high school sophomore and junior, I can pursue my passion for science and receive mentoring from a world-class expert in an area of interest to me is completely amazing,” Isabella says. “These experiences are normally reserved for undergraduate and graduate students at universities, so I feel very fortunate that Milken has given me a leg up on my career.”
Isabella sees Milken’s individualized instruction as a major asset as she builds knowledge and prepares to go after her dreams. “From day one, I could tell Milken is a place where faculty really work to create customized education plans based on each student’s unique strengths and needs,” she says. “My teachers here are true mentors, role models and friends who always make themselves available for assistance.”
In addition to nurturing her ambitions and providing a stimulating academic environment where she can thrive, Isabella notes, Milken also fosters a sense of identity and communal connection. “Being at Milken lets me engage in and cherish Jewish traditions so I can pass them along to the next generation,” she says. “The school’s brilliant rabbis and Judaic studies faculty are constantly finding ways to make Jewish concepts relevant to our daily lives.”
Isabella balances her time in class and in the lab with dedicated involvement in a host of school-based extracurricular activities. She serves as co-chair of the Yozma social action group Healing Spirits and as president of a club she founded, Teens for Kids. “Our mission is to put smiles on the faces of children through gift giving and hospital visits,” she says. She has also led the gift basket project at Cancer Care Institute of Los Angeles, which focuses on lifting the spirits of kids whose parents have cancer and sickle cell disease.
Isabella says she thoroughly enjoys her days at Milken. “What makes me so excited when I wake up every morning is knowing I get to be somewhere that prioritizes my development,” she says. The Milken community invests in students with dedicated personal attention, leveraging resources to help them reach their goals.
“I hope to have an impact in the future in bench-to-bedside research – translating laboratory discoveries for clinical use,” Isabella says. “I believe there is nothing more noble than being able to touch human lives as a physician – and that Milken is giving me the perfect start.”
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