Education

PhD in Biomedical Sciences

2022-Current

University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA

Advisor: Prof. Xiaowei Lu

M.S. in Biological and Physical Sciences

July 2022 - December 2024

University of Virginia (UVA), Charlottesville, VA

B.S. in Biological Sciences

2018-2022

Nazarbayev University,

Dean's List (7x)

Relevant Coursework

  • Organic Chemistry II
  • Structural Bioinformatics
  • Programming for Scientists and Engineers

Awards & Fellowships

  • Ann E. Sutherland and Raymond E. Keller Cell Biology Graduate Training Fund • UVA • February 2026

    Awarded funding for a podium presentation at the ARO Midwinter Meeting 2026

  • Ann E. Sutherland and Raymond E. Keller Cell Biology Graduate Training Fund • UVA • February 2025

    Awarded funding for a poster presentation at the ARO Midwinter Meeting 2025

  • Association for Research in Otolaryngology (ARO) MidWinter Travel Award • ARO • January 2025

    Awarded funding for a poster presentation at the ARO Midwinter Meeting

  • American Otological Society Fellowship • AOS • July 2024-June 2025

    Awarded fellowship to fund independent inner ear research for one year

  • Double Hoo Award • UVA • Summer 2024

    Awarded a Double Hoo Award, jointly with an undergraduate student, to support summer research.

  • Graduation with Honors, Cum Laude • Nazarbayev University • January 2025

    Cumulative GPA ≥ 3.67

  • Dean’s List • Nazarbayev University. • 2019 - 2022

    Achieved Dean’s List recognition 7 times (semester GPA ≥ 3.75)

  • Silver Medal in the Kazakhstan National Biology Olympiad • March 2017

    A final stage of a national olympiad series (up to 500,000 participants)

Research

Graduate Researcher

Mar 2023 - Current

Prof. Xiaowei Lu Lab, University of Virginia

Principal Investigator: Prof. Xiaowei Lu

Key Contributions:

  • Project: Investigating the role of PCDH15-CD2 post-translational modifications in hair-bundle morphogenesis and hair-cell function in vivo in the murine cochlea

Techniques:

ImmunohistochemistryConfocal MicroscopyFluorescent MicroscopyScanning Electron Microscopy ImagingABR measurementsSuper-resolution microscopyWestern Blot

Undergraduate Researcher

Jun 2019 - Jun 2022

Prof. Anna Andreeva Lab, Nazarbayev University

Principal Investigator: Prof. Anna Andreeva

Key Contributions:

  • Project: Influence of covalent modifications on PCDH15 interactions with potential binding partners in vitro

Techniques:

Site-directed mutagenesisWestern BlotImmunoprecipitationSucrose Gradient FractionationAffinity Protein PurificationIn vitro binding assay

Technical Skills

Computational

  • SnapGene
  • Benchling
  • PyMOL
  • LaTeX
  • Python
  • Adobe Illustrator
  • Adobe Photoshop

Other Skills

  • Data analysis
  • Publication-ready figure preparation
  • Data presentation

Publications

Peer-Reviewed Articles

Clancy, Shaylyn, Xie, Nicholas, Eluvathingal Muttikkal, Tess, Wang, Jasmine, Adylkhan, Aray, Fateh, Esha, Smith, Margaret, Wilson, Phillip, Smith, Matthew, Hogan, Arielle, Sutherland, Ann, Lu, Xiaowei (2025). Rac1 and Nectin3 are essential for planar cell polarity-directed axon guidance in the peripheral auditory system. Development, 152(8), dev204423.

DOI: 10.1242/dev.204423

Xie, Nicholas, Malt, Andre L., Adylkhan, Aray, Rodeman, Natalie, Borges, Ricardo M., Hwang, Diane, Liu, Alice, Smith, Connor, Hogan, Arielle, Lu, Xiaowei (2024). Wnt7b acts in concert with Wnt5a to regulate tissue elongation and planar cell polarity via noncanonical Wnt signaling. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 121(35), e2405217121.

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2405217121

Conference Poster and Talk Presentations

Adylkhan, Aray • Participant at 46th MidWinter Meeting of Association for Research in Otolaryngology (ARO), Orlando, FL • 2023

Adylkhan, Aray • Poster Presenter at 47th MidWinter Meeting of Association for Research in Otolaryngology (ARO), Anaheim, CA • 2024

Adylkhan, Aray • Poster Presenter at 48th MidWinter Meeting of Association for Research in Otolaryngology (ARO), Orlando, FL • 2025

Adylkhan, Aray • Podium Presenter at 49th MidWinter Meeting of Association for Research in Otolaryngology (ARO), San Juan, Puerto Rico • 2026

Teaching and Mentorship

Research mentor for undergraduate students in the Lu Lab at UVA

March 2023 - Present

Lu Lab, University of Virginia

  • Successfully mentored 3 undergraduate students from their second-third year through graduation; currently advising 1 additional student in Lu lab
  • Successfully guided one undergraduate student through the completion of a Distinguished Majors Program thesis
  • Provided comprehensive writing, editing, and review support for undergraduate award and fellowship applications, resulting in a shared Double Hoo summer research award with an undergraduate student and Harrison Fellowship awards for two undergraduate students
  • Mentored undergraduate students on research posters for the Undergraduate Research Symposium.

Teaching Assistant for CCIB Summer Preparation Course at UVA

August 2023, 2024

CCIB Summer Preparation Course, University of Virginia

  • Developed review materials for various study blocks
  • Contributed to problem selection for the CCIB summer preparation course and led student discussions focused on problem-solving and explanation

Beyond Curriculum Public Foundation

January 2021 - September 2024

Director of Beyond Curriculum Public Foundation • Beyond Curriculum Public Foundation

  • Managed 60 volunteers in a nonprofit aimed to popularize STEM and ensure equitable access to educational resources
  • Optimized internal operations, and amplified the reach by establishing partnerships with other institutions
  • Organized a science festival, attracting 50+ high school attendees with 5 expert speakers
  • Led the 4th Biology Olympiad jury, overseeing 100+ student participants

Professional Memberships

Association for Research in Otolaryngology (ARO)Member, 2023-Present