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Hyun-Sik is a physician-scientist with clinical and scientific expertise in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD). Hyun-Sik spent most of his childhood and young adulthood in South Korea, although he also lived in Fairfax, Virginia when he was 7 and in Lexington, Kentucky when he was 18. After graduating from Seoul National University College of Medicine (MD), Hyun-Sik pursued his internship at Mass General Brigham Salem Hospital, neurology residency at the Mass General Brigham Neurology Residency (class of 2016), and Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH). During his residency, fellowship, and early faculty years, Hyun-Sik was mentored by Dr. Reisa A. Sperling (Alzheimer’s disease clinical research) and Dr. Philip L. De Jager (Neurogenomics). Hyun-Sik sees cognitive neurology patients on Monday mornings at BWH and spends the remainder of his work hours in the lab. Outside of work, Hyun-Sik enjoys spending time with his wife, Ga Young Lee (neuroscientist at Harvard Medical School), and their miniature poodle Linus (named after the Peanuts character, the chemist, as well as Linux). Hyun-Sik loves to run along the Charles, so you may spot him running with Linus!
Annie grew up in New York City and studied biology and history at Swarthmore College. She then spent two years conducting research in the laboratory of Dr. Jeffrey Weiser at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. She is now in her second year at Harvard Medical School and has been working with the Yang Lab to study biomarkers of Alzheimer disease in aging patient populations.
David hails from New York, by way of San Diego where he completed his medical degree and residency in Psychiatry. His graduate thesis at the Salk Institute was on Dementia with Lewy bodies, and during residency at UCSD he researched inflammatory biomarkers in people with schizophrenia. His career interests in cognitive decline and neuroinflammation drew him to the Yang Lab, where he is now working on better understanding the interplay between the peripheral immune system and early Alzheimer’s disease. In his spare time, he enjoys soccer, tennis, and traveling.
Juliana was born and raised in São Paulo, Brazil and is a bilingual (English and Portuguese) research assistant at the Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment. She coordinates the Memory and Aging Cohort study and recruits patients from the Center for Brain/Mind Medicine into CART studies. Juliana graduated from Boston University in May of 2022 with a Bachelor of Arts in Neurobiology with Honors. During her undergraduate career, she was a research assistant in Dr. Alice Cronin-Golomb’s Vision and Cogniton Lab and a student in Dr. Yakeel T. Quiroz’s Multicultural Alzheimer’s Prevention Program. Her Honor Thesis focused on plasma neurofilament light as a marker for depression and cognitive decline in autosomal dominant Alzheimer’s Disease. In her free time, she enjoys playing tennis, traveling, and cooking.
Emily is one of the research assistants on the Memory and Aging Cohort. She joined the lab as a student intern in January of 2023 and became a full-time research assistant in December 2023. She is passionate about making research more accessible. Emily graduated from Northeastern University with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a minor in Public Health. During her undergrad she worked as a direct care provider at Walker Therapeutic and Educational Programs’ Community Based Acute Care Unit and as a student intern at the Harvard Aging Brain Study at Massachusetts General Hospital. She plans to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology. In her free time, Emily enjoys crocheting and spending time in nature.
Lucas relocated to Boston from Pittsfield, MA to begin his career in neurodegenerative disease research. He received a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2021, with a concentration in neuroscience and a minor in Biology. During his time at UMass, Lucas assisted research in the Neurocognition and Perception lab, which focused on the processing of linguistic stimuli across a diverse sample population. He now acts as a Research Laboratory Technician at BWH for the Memory and Aging Cohort, as well as for the various studies that fall under the Center for Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment. Lucas plans to pursue further education within the realm of cognitive neuroscience. In his free time, Lucas enjoys film, music, nature, videogames, and spending time with his family.
Meet Courtney, a California native who exchanged her flip flops for snow shoes. She earned her BS in Physiology and Metabolism from U.C. Berkeley and pursued an MS in Nutritional Biochemistry at Tufts, specializing in Cognitive Neuroscience. Before making her way to Boston, Courtney ventured into the tech industry, including a stint at Impossible Foods, where her focus was on plant-based meats.
In her research pursuits, Courtney centers her focus on neuroimaging and biochemical studies in cognitive disorders, with a particular emphasis on understanding the intricacies of the brain, especially in conditions like epilepsy and Tourette’s Syndrome. Beyond academia, she aspires to create a positive impact and offer assistance in the lives of children with disabilities.
Off the clock, catch Courtney crafting pottery (Instagram: Maamaacourt), enjoying the local crafts fair, and delving into the world of film photography. On weekends, you’ll spot her volunteering, perfecting her pole, and meandering through the streets of Boston with her faithful four-legged sidekick.
Stephanie is one of the research assistants for the Memory and Aging Cohort. Since joining in September of 2022, she has expanded the study to reach Boston’s Spanish-speaking populations. With a focus for increasing diversity in research, she is eager to develop a trusting relationship between MAC and Boston’s underrepresented communities. Stephanie graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering and a minor in Business Administration. While in school, she worked as a medical tele-scribe for the University of California at San Francisco, a Patient Access Representative at UT Health Austin, and a student associate for COVID-19 vaccination clinics on campus. Stephanie aspires to continue her education in medical school after her time at BWH.
Jae Won grew up in Seoul, South Korea. He earned an MD from Seoul National University College of Medicine and an MPH. from Harvard School of Public Health. As a founding member of Whydots Inc., a robotics startup focusing on dementia care, his passion lies in innovating healthcare. His consistent interest in dementia led him to the Yang Lab, where he currently focuses on unraveling the pathophysiologic relationship between Alzheimer’s disease and Limbic-predominant Age-related TDP-43 Encephalopathy (LATE). Aspiring to deepen his impact as a physician-scientist, Jae Won is dedicated to investigating neurodegenerative diseases and innovative therapeutics. In his leisure time, he enjoys playing basketball, performing Korean acoustic pop music, and spending quality time with friends and family.
Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Andrea moved to Boston for her undergraduate studies. She graduated from Boston University in May 2021 with a Bachelor of Arts in Neuroscience. Soon after, she joined the Memory and Aging Cohort Study as a research assistant. Wanting to get more experience in the wet lab, she transitioned to a technical research assistant role in late 2022. Andrea now works on various experiments within the Yang lab and has helped create and maintain the group’s biobank. In the near future she plans to pursue a PhD in Neuroscience, hoping to focus on the mechanisms underlying memory. In her free time, Andrea enjoys crocheting, knitting, drawing, and playing video games!
Daniel, a Newton, MA native, holds a BS in Neuroscience from the University of Michigan. At Tufts Medical Center, he delved into clinical ophthalmology research, exploring innovative applications of image processing, artificial intelligence, and 3-D visualization software for quantifying corneal and retinal imaging parameters. At Kellogg Eye Center, his research extended to corneal procedure outcomes for keratoconus disease and neuro-ophthalmologic inquiries, including diagnostic tools for double vision and predictors/outcomes of optic neuritis. Returning to Boston in October 2023 to join the Yang lab, Daniel serves as the ALZ-NET Study Coordinator and the Program Coordinator for the Alzheimer Therapeutic Program. With aspirations for an MD, he aims to integrate clinical research into his medical career. Beyond academia, Daniel finds joy in various fitness activities (weightlifting, tennis, hiking, cycling), playing the guitar, volunteering with visually impaired individuals, and spending time with family and friends.
Ling Teng obtained her bachelor’s degree in biology from Nan Chang University, China, and completed her master’s degree in computer science at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. She is interested in computational biology and data science and has 6+ years of experience in bioinformatics and programming.
Han Bin Yoo is originally from Jeonju, South Korea and moved to Connecticut in 2010. He graduated from Fairfield University with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in Mathematics in 2020 and have accomplished Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Medical Program at Northeastern University in 2023. Prior to Yang’s Lab, Han Bin worked in manufacturing and has worked as a Research Assistant at Northeastern. He is now a Research Assistant at Yang’s Lab working on biochemical assays, sample management, and establishing his research career as he aspires to become a physician one day. In his free time, he likes to workout, cook, play video games, or go enjoy a round of golf with his friends.
