Kaveh Moradi, PhD, knows that structure is everything.
In his research, when myelin breaks down, the brain loses its ability to communicate—driving diseases like multiple sclerosis. At his desk, a single misplaced fold can collapse a paper figure.
As a postdoctoral associate in the Department of Human Genetics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, Moradi studies the mechanisms behind demyelination. Outside of the lab, he folds origami, a craft requiring the same precision. Lately, it has also become a way to cope with the uncertainty of having family in Iran.
“There’s a lot going on in my life, and origami helps me focus,” said Moradi. “It’s similar to meditation. It keeps my mind occupied and gives me a way to step away from things I can’t control.”
Moradi has always gravitated toward hands-on hobbies, including crafting terrariums. He discovered origami about a year ago while visiting his wife in New York after finding a box of paper and instruction booklets.
“I started with very simple models—like ones for children—and then gradually got more interested and began learning more,” he said.
What keeps him motivated is that a single square of paper, folded the right way, can turn into something intricate and detailed. For Moradi, that concept isn’t far from the science he studies.
“It is interesting how simple elements can form complex structures,” Moradi said. “Everything in nature, from the air to stars and planets, consists of a few basic atoms like hydrogen, helium, oxygen and nitrogen—these fundamental building blocks create all that we see.”
Even while following instructions, the endless possibilities drive him to improve his origami skills.
“You ultimately have to bring the model to life yourself,” said Moradi. “That part depends on your own interpretation and skill.”
That hands-on element carries into his work in the lab, where his research builds on his doctoral training in neuroscience and remains focused on the mechanisms and treatments for demyelination.
“I work with tissue samples, section them into very thin slices—about 5 microns—and perform staining techniques to visualize them under a microscope,” said Moradi. “It’s both technical and physical work.”
Over time, he hopes to start designing his own origami models.
“At first, you rely heavily on instructions,” he said. “But over time, you develop the ability to visualize structures and understand how to build them. Some models can take 20 or 30 hours to complete. Professional origami designers may spend years developing a single model.”
That level of focus has taken on more meaning as he balances his work in Pittsburgh with concern for his family abroad. “It helps me redirect my attention and keeps my mind engaged,” he said.
-Ava Dzurenda
