Edgar Lopez-Garcia is a Guatemalan transfer student from Merced College double majoring in Neuroscience and Psychology. A first-generation college student, he has built a strong academic record and, after undergoing multiple major reconstructive surgeries, brings a personal understanding of patient care and perseverance to his academic and professional goals. At Merced College he served for two years as President of the Pre-Health Club and as a Student Senator before transferring to UC Berkeley. Edgar has worked as an Emergency Medical Technician for two years, gaining firsthand insight into acute care and neurotrauma, and has volunteered in emergency rooms, hospice organizations, and at school events. In his free time he enjoys spending time with his family and friends and watching sports games.
Edgar is interested in how chronic stress alters brain function and contributes to mental health disorders. His research focuses on perineuronal nets (PNNs) and parvalbumin (PV) interneurons, key regulators of neural plasticity. He is particularly interested in how psilocybin may help restore plasticity in stress-affected brain regions such as the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, with the goal of informing future treatments.
