Post-doc

Kyle has a BS in Genetics and Genomics from UC Davis where he studied the importance of human specific duplicated genes by knocking them out in zebrafish using CRISPR. Kyle now studies the roles of developmental signaling pathways during direct reprogramming to neurons. He is the proud owner of two Corgis and is a major video gamer.

Vicky got her Ph.D. at Northwestern University in Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics where she studied mechanisms of miRNA biogenesis. In the Yoo lab she is studying genetic networks that underlie various cell types of the brain, and how these are perturbed during aging and in neurodegenerative disease. She practices yoga daily and loves scuba-diving.   

Wookyung got her Ph.D. in Molecular medicine from Gachon University where she profiled the transcriptome of neural stem cell differentiation models and studied the mechanism of post-transcriptional regulation based on sequencing technologies. In the Yoo Lab, she studies the epigenetic changes in miRNA-mediated neuronal conversion and Huntington's Disease models. She loves cats and Thai food.

Tom received his Ph.D in Neuroscience from WashU where he studied the impact of APOE on the development of Alzheimer disease pathology. Tom Joined the Yoo lab in January of 2022 and is studying how aging influences the development of Alzheimer disease in individuals with Down syndrome. He is the father of three boys and when not busy spending time with his family he enjoys exercising and playing sports

Zhao received his Ph.D. from University of Iowa for identifying new molecular mechanisms controlling mouse dental stem cell behavior in development and disease. In January 2019, he joined Yoo lab and aims to generate patient-derived neurons in 3-dimensional culture to model adult-onset neurodegenerative disorders. He is a father of two kids and he loves to spend time with family.

Courtney received her PhD at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where she examined changes in tau and dendritic spines in Alzheimer’s disease. In the Yoo lab, she is studying selective neuronal subtype vulnerability in aging and Alzheimer’s disease. In her free time, she enjoys training in full contact karate, playing the piano, and hanging out with her dog.