Originally from central California, Rana Khankan is a True Bruin through and through. She earned her B.S. in Physiological Sciences at UCLA in 2004 after which she considered pursuing a medical degree. She alternatively found her passion for teaching and research after obtaining her M.S. in Physiological Sciences and then PhD in Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology also at UCLA. Following a postdoctoral training at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, she joined the department of Life Sciences Core Education where she teaches LS 7A and 7C and assesses the new curriculum aimed at decreasing achievement gaps and promoting student-centered teaching.