People
Derrick J. Morton, PhD
I graduated from University of Oregon with a B.S. in Biochemistry and completed my M.Sc. in Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, with an emphasis in Stem Cell Technology and Laboratory Management, from California State University Channel Islands.
I conducted my master’s research in the Quadrato lab at USC Keck, assisting in the development of an hiPSC-derived cerebellar organoid protocol used to model neurodevelopment and disease in the human cerebellum. In my free time, I like to bake, craft, read comics, and spend time outdoors hiking or camping.
Research: establishing and characterizing cerebellar organoid generation in the Morton lab.
James Burford, PhD
Dr. Burford is an experienced research scientist with an area of expertise in imaging and functional physiological imaging, coupled with mammalian cell culture work
Emily Arnold, PhD Student
As an undergraduate at UC Berkeley, I majored in Molecular and Cellular Biology with an emphasis in Neurobiology, and I joined the lab of Dr. Lawrence Fung at Stanford School of Medicine to study neurosteroid metabolomics in Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Upon graduating from Berkeley, I accepted a position at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) in the lab of Dr. Elphege Nora, where my project focused on the interplay between cohesin-mediated loop extrusion and transcription. In my spare time, I like to do yoga, read, cook, and sleep.
Research: My current project focuses on the RNA exosome’s role in maintaining chromatin-associated RNA homeostasis during neuronal development.
Lauryn Higginson, PhD Candidate
I graduated with a B.S. in Molecular Biology with a minor in Bioethics at the University of California, San Diego.
I am using a Drosophila model of RNA exosome-linked neurodevelopmental disorders to examine how defects in key post-transcriptional processes disrupt the proper development of cells in the nervous system.
In my spare time, I enjoy running marathons, baking, and watching anime.
Nina Barr, PhD Candidate
I graduated from San Diego State University with a B.S. in Biology and a minor in Cognitive Behavioral Neuroscience. I returned to my undergraduate university for a M.Sc. in Cellular and Molecular Biology.
In my spare time, I enjoy spending time in nature, watching sports, and knitting.
My research focuses on understanding the role of the RNA exosome in cerebellar development through modeling PCH1b in cerebellar organoids.
Rylee Kang,
PhD Candidate
I graduated from San Diego State University with a B.S. in Biology and a minor in Cognitive Behavioral Neuroscience. I returned to my undergraduate university for a M.Sc. in Cellular and Molecular Biology.
In my spare time, I enjoy spending time in nature, watching sports, and knitting.
My research focuses on understanding the role of the RNA exosome in cerebellar development through modeling PCH1b in cerebellar organoids.
