Jessica Young, PhD

Dr. Young is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the laboratory of Professor Lawrence S.B. Goldstein at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Young completed her Ph.D. research at the University of Washington under the mentorship of Dr. Albert R. La Spada where she studied the role of neuronal apoptosis and autophagy in the polyglutamine disorder Spinal and Bulbar Muscular Atrophy. Dr. Young’s current research interests include using human stem cells to model neurodegenerative disease and the mechanisms behind genetic risk involved in sporadic Alzheimer’s disease. In addition to her BrightFocus award, Dr. Young has been the recipient of postdoctoral fellowships from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) and the A.P. Giannini Foundation for Medical Research in California.