Aarsha Shah '26

Aarsha Shah

Hometown
Bridgewater, NJ
College BA
Biology
Wharton BSE
Finance

What are three words you would use to describe LSM?

Supportive, Inspiring, Engaging

 

What do you find most rewarding or enjoyable about the LSM program?

It’s definitely a combination of the people I am surrounded by and the work that I get to do! LSM was the first community I found the moment that I stepped onto campus, and my peers are some of my absolute best friends. All of the students, faculty, and alumni are such a wonderful resource and always happy to provide their insights. They make Penn feel like home! On top of that, I truly love what I am studying in class, the research I do, and the internships I’ve gotten to pursue. All of it is so multifaceted and captivating, which is what LSM is all about.

 

Are you doing research currently? If so, where and on what, and what do you like about it?

I am currently involved in research at the Peranteau Lab, which is part of the Abramson Pediatric Research Center at CHOP. Our research dives into evaluating different gene editing technologies with the goal of providing interventions for life-threatening diseases such as SMA and MPSI before a child is born. My favorite part is definitely the diversity of my work: from working with pregnant mice one day to doing more computational work another, I’ve gotten to explore so much and acquire a wide range of skills through this lab.

 

What is the favorite thing you’ve done at Penn so far?

The highlight of my Penn experience was definitely the Penn Healthcare Review’s spring journal launch, in which we held a Q&A with Dr. Drew Weissman, Dr. Carl June, and Dr. Bruce Levine. Additionally, we featured an interview with Dr. Katalin Karikó in our publication. It was so incredible getting to speak with and learn from these renowned scientists, especially given that Drs. Karikó and Weissman were honored with the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine this year!

 

What main extracurricular activities do you do at Penn?

At Penn, I am currently involved in the Wharton Undergraduate Healthcare Club as co-editor-in-chief of the Penn Healthcare Review, an undergraduate healthcare journal. I am also a cohort leader for Wharton Cohorts and part of the Pro Bono Consulting Committee with Wharton Women. Finally, I am a dancer for Penn Raas!