Niyousha Houshyar

• Vice President | Pre-Dental Club, UC Irvine
• Led club meetings, organized community outreach, and mentored pre-dental students for the Dental Volunteers student club at UCI.
• Coordinated volunteer opportunities and dental health education events.
• Lead Dental Assistant | Dr. Sun’s Office
• Supervised junior dental assistants, delegated responsibilities, and ensured high clinical standards.
• Learning Assistant | BIO 98 & BIO 99, UC Irvine
• Learning assistant for BIO 98 class with Dr. Kadandale
• Learning assistant for BIO 99 class with Dr. Nicholas and Dr. Inlay
• Facilitated small group learning, led review sessions, and provided academic support for peers in biology courses.

Undergraduate Researcher
University of California, Irvine
Dr. Akbari Lab & Dr. Weiss Lab | 2024 – Present

• Conducting in vivo neuroscience research under Dr. Nima Akbari as part of the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP).
• Working on projects investigating neural circuit mechanisms underlying affective disorders using mouse models and behavioral assays.
• Gaining hands-on experience in brain sectioning, immunohistochemistry, microscopy, and quantitative data analysis.
• Collaborating with graduate students and postdoctoral researchers on translational neuroscience studies.

• Mercy Warehouse
  Organized donations and distributed food to families in need.
• Affordable Dentist Nonprofit Organization
  Supported access to dental care for underserved populations.
• Vida Mission Trip – Costa Rica
  Participated in an international service trip, delivering dental care and oral health education.
• IMED Mission Trip – Mexico
  Assisted dental professionals during outreach clinics.
• Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures (BSBF) Mobile Clinic
  Provided dental screenings and oral hygiene instruction to children in mobile van clinics.
• Garfield Elementary – Anteaters Smile Project
  Conducted oral health education and activities for elementary students.
• Patient Project – Senior Home Volunteer
  Enhanced quality of life for elderly residents through companionship and social services.
• Shade Tree Nursery – Anteaters Smile Project & PDS Club
  Organized activities and oral hygiene workshops for children.
• Children’s Dental Screening – IMED
  Assisted in conducting community dental screenings for children.
• Friendly Center
  Supported community outreach and services for low-income families.
• Miracle with Kids (Remote Volunteer)
  Participated in virtual events and fundraising for children’s health initiatives.
• Second Harvest Food Distribution
  Helped distribute food to individuals and families experiencing food insecurity.

• Interior Design Certification - 2019
• California Food Handler Card and Certificate - 2020
• Dental Board of California: Coronal Polishing - 2021
• Dental Board of California: Radiation Safety - 2021
• California Dental Practice Certification
• CPR/BLS American Heart Association - 2023
• 8-Hour Infection Control - 2023
• Laboratory Safety Fundamentals - 2023
• Hazardous Waste Training - 2023
• Responsible Conduct of Research - 2023
• Medicare/Medicaid Fraud, Waste, and Abuse - 2023
• Research Lab & Handling Certificates - 2024
• Draw and Drill Disk Restorative Certificate - 2024
• CLAP Mentoring Certificate - 2025