Jennifer Yokoyama, PhD, is an associate professor in the UCSF Department of Neurology and in Radiology & Biomedical Imaging, and the Mary Oakley Foundation Endowed Professor in Neurodegeneration. She leads a research program focused on the neurogenetics of aging, where her work aims to understand how genetic variation affects brain physiology, cognition, and behavior in older adults, and how these factors contribute to vulnerability or resilience to neurodegenerative diseases. Dr. Yokoyama is particularly committed to studying these effects in diverse global populations, with the goal of identifying genetic factors that inform early interventions and therapeutic strategies.
Dr. Yokoyama earned her doctorate in pharmaceutical sciences and pharmacogenomics from UCSF in 2010, under the mentorship of Dr. Steven Hamilton in the Department of Psychiatry and the Institute for Human Genetics. Her dissertation research was part of the Canine Behavioral Genetics Project, where she used purebred dogs as models to study neuropsychiatric conditions. She conducted genome-wide analyses to identify genetic loci associated with noise phobia, a canine anxiety disorder, and adult-onset deafness in border collies.
An accomplished researcher and mentor, Dr. Yokoyama has been recognized for her contributions to neuroscience and her commitment to training the next generation of scientists. In 2020, she received the Alzheimer’s Association Excellence in Neuroscience Mentoring Award for her dedication to guiding and supporting trainees in her laboratory. The following year, she was honored with the Mary Oakley Foundation Professorship in Neurodegeneration, a recognition of her significant impact in the field.
Dr. Yokoyama’s long-term goal is to deepen our understanding of how genetic variation across the genome contributes to specific forms of neurodegeneration. Through her research, she strives to advance precision medicine approaches that promote brain health and improve outcomes for individuals affected by neurodegenerative diseases.