11 months of Science, Friendship and Discovery: Chiara’s Experience in Denver
Spending almost a year abroad is about much more than only research. For Chiara, her time at the University of Colorado Anschutz became a journey of scientific growth, personal discovery and meaningful connections.
During nearly 11 months in Denver, Chiara immersed herself in a new research environment, learning advanced techniques in retinal organoid development and expanding her work on retinitis pigmentosa. Along the way, she found inspiring mentors, supportive colleagues and friendships that became her second family while far away from home.
In her own words, Chiara reflects on the scientific milestones, the people who shaped her experience and the unforgettable moments that made her secondments in Colorado such a special chapter of her doctoral journey.
Read her experience below.
Lab experience
After almost a year at the University of Colorado Anschutz between 2025 and 2026, I now consider it my second academic home. Here, I have had the opportunity to learn a technique as delicate and challenging as the development of retinal organoids and to work with them. This has been a major turning point for my project, giving me not only the chance to study a genetic condition such as retinitis pigmentosa in a human model, but also to recapitulate its stages right from the embryonic phase, leading to some truly interesting discoveries.
Professor Flores welcomed me to Exosight and treated me as if I’d always worked there; he taught me to plan my experiments always keeping the bigger picture in mind, and to have more faith in myself and my ideas. Oksana was a valuable guidance right from the start and, over time, became a special friend, while Steve and Devika supported me in my day-to-day work and Tim adds that chaotic vibe that every respectful lab needs to have.
I am truly grateful to the entire Department of Ophthalmology at CU Anschutz for making me feel at home so far from home.
Life in Denver
Denver is a place full of contradictions: the mountains and the desert, the weather that changes radically in a single day, the city with its skyscrapers and, just half an hour’s drive away, landscapes that take your breath away.
Living for almost a year so far from home and in a place with such a different culture wasn’t easy, but meeting some wonderful people certainly helped.
The family I lived with eventually became part of my own family.
Oksana introduced me straight away to all her friends and people at university, and after a year, she, along with Omar, Shama, Cammie, Lexie and Sayuri, became my little melting pot – one that warms the heart, makes you laugh, makes you reflect and helps you through difficult times.
I hope our paths cross again soon!
Greetings,