Biography

Rachelle Balez thinks science and art are two sides of the same coin, as they both use curiosity and creativity to understand the world. After obtaining a Bachelor of Science (Hons I) and Bachelor of Creative Arts at the University of Wollongong, Rachelle is currently completing her PhD at the Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute. Her research is focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms driving Alzheimer’s disease by transforming patient skin cells into brain cells to model the disease in a dish. Beyond research, Rachelle is always finding ways to communicate the beauty of science through art and has exhibited in the CoLABs Sci-Art Festival (2017) and co-founded Magnified (2018), a science-art exhibition. Rachelle is driven to promote diversity and equality in STEMM and has held the role of student representative on the national council for the Australasian Neuroscience Society and is an alumna of Homeward Bound, a global women in science leadership initiative.

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