Irina Conboy received her PhD (Cellular and Molecular Immunology) from Stanford University in 1998. Dr. Conboy is an Assistant Professor of Bioengineering at UCBwho joined the Department in November of 2004. Her research is focused on deciphering the key signal transduction pathways that control behavior of adult stem cells and understanding the age-related changes in this signal integration. This research program will ultimately lead to developing novel methods for combating the degenerative disorders that often accompany human aging. Since 2005 she is Faculty Mentor for UC Berkeley Chapter of Student Society for Stem Cell Research and sponsor of the Decal class: Stem cell science and Society. She is also Reviewer for CIRM Training Grant Program at UC Berkeley and a member of Peer Review Committee for State of Maryland Stem Cell Initiative, Invited peer-reviewer for Neurogenesis and Cell Fate study section at NIH, and Reviewer for Nathan Shock Center of Excellence in the Basic Biology of Aging. Irina Conboy received CIRM New Faculty Award in 2008, Glenn Award for Research in Biological mechanisms of aging in 2008 and Ellison’s Medical Foundation Award, New Scholar in Aging in 2005.