UCSF’s innovative, collaborative approach to patient care, research and education spans disciplines across the life sciences, making it a world leader in scientific discovery and its translation to improving health.
Youjin joined the Dementia Imaging Genetics Lab, led by Dr. Suzee Lee, in February 2024 as a Postdoctoral Scholar to investigate potential multimodal neuroimaging biomarkers for early detection and monitoring of frontotemporal dementia. Youjin received her bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Home Economics Education and a master’s degree in brain and cognitive engineering from Korea University in South Korea.
Claire is a postdoctoral fellow in neuropsychology at the UCSF Memory and Aging Center under the mentorship of Associate Professor Kaitlin Casaletto. Her research interests involve the role of lifestyle factors, such as physical activity, in supporting healthy brain aging and protecting against neurodegenerative disease.
Shirley was born in Guangzhou, China, and grew up in Los Angeles, California. She attended the University of California, Santa Barbara, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacology. During her undergraduate studies, she worked as a Certified Pharmacy Technician and gained patient care experience as an Emergency Department volunteer and Surgical Nursing volunteer in the hospital.
Pongpat Putthinun is a health economist and postdoctoral scholar in the UCSF Memory and Aging Center. He joined the Decision Lab team, led by Dr. Winston Chiong, and is currently working on a project aimed at understanding how genetic predispositions to frontotemporal dementia influence decision-making in the pre-symptomatic phase. Through neuroeconomic methods, the research seeks to identify incidents of early impaired judgment that could lead to early intervention strategies to decelerate the onset of frontotemporal dementia.
