Juan Salvador "Duno" Dantis is a chemical biologist taking his PhD studies at UC Irvine, and is the Co-Director of Events and Communications at GradMAP Philippines. His research under the Darci Trader lab involves elucidating the mechanisms by which proteasome activity modulates neurodegeneration and how this can be leveraged as a novel therapeutic avenue for protein aggregation diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. We talked about pursuing the STEM track in graduate school, the GradMAP Philippines initiative, the importance of having STEM mentors, how to become a mentor for STEM students, and more. How to contact Duno: Email: [email protected] GradMAP Facebook: fb.com/GradMAPph GradMAP Twitter: @gradmap_ph GradMAP Instagram: @gradmap_ph GradMAP Email: [email protected] This episode of Ask Theory was made in partnership with GradMAP Philippines, a mentor network helping Filipino scientists get through graduate school applications. GradMAP Philippines envisions a thriving community of Filipino scientists that work to reduce barriers for Filipinos in pursuing advanced degrees in STEM and related fields. For more information, visit: https://www.gradmap.ph/