Meet the Team

Cesar holds bachelor’s degrees in psychology and ecology from the University of California, Davis and a Master of Public Health in epidemiology from Boston University. Prior to joining the UCSF Memory and Aging Center, Cesar worked in the Women’s Health Clinical Research Center (WHCRC) at UCSF managing data for the San Francisco Mammography Registry (SFMR) database and various clinical trial studies.

Joe Hesse joined the Memory and Aging Center in 2002 and serves as the center’s Director of Innovation. His focus is the development of informatics and computational infrastructure in support of precision medicine. He works in collaboration with many groups and faculty across UCSF with the overall goal of delivering technology solutions to clinicians and researchers that are both scientifically agile and regulatory compliant.

Dr. Margo Heston is a postdoctoral scholar and an NIH F99/K00 fellow funded through the NIH Blueprint and BRAIN Initiative Diversity Specialized Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Advancement in Neuroscience (D-SPAN) program.

Dr. Hilary Heuer is an oculomotor specialist in the Boxer lab.

Tanisha Hill-Jarrett, PhD, is a neuropsychologist and assistant professor of neurology at the UCSF Edward and Pearl Fein Memory and Aging Center, part of the UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences. Her research focuses on how adverse social exposures, such as psychosocial stressors, structural discrimination, and inequitable access to opportunities, impact cognitive aging and increase risk for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD).

Aidyn was born and raised in Portland, Oregon. In May 2024, she graduated from Whitman College with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in biology. She previously worked as a student researcher in the Psychology Department at Whitman College, investigating the effect of language framing on victim-blaming attitudes and prosocial behavior. Aidyn is now an Assistant Clinical Research Coordinator for the PET program in the Rabinovici Lab at the Memory and Aging Center.

Molly studied Neuroscience and Psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles. She then completed her PhD degree with Professor Peter Juo at Tufts University, where she investigated the regulation of the AMPA-type glutamate receptor by its deubiquitinating enzyme USP-46 in C. elegans. She identified two novel mechanisms by which USP-46 is stabilized and activated by two WD40-repeat proteins, WDR-48 and WDR-20, to promote AMPAR abundance and recycling to the neuronal surface. In the Kao lab, Molly will continue her research in protein homeostasis and degradation in C.

Brandon Holmes, MD, PhD, is an assistant professor at the UCSF Edward and Pearl Fein Memory and Aging Center. His clinical and research expertise focuses on the underlying mechanisms of neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation, particularly how microglia—the innate immune cells of the central nervous system—modify their proteome in these contexts. Dr. Holmes completed his clinical fellowship at the Fein MAC and pursued postdoctoral research in the Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry under James A. Wells, PhD.

Dr. Kiet (Robert) Hua completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior at the University of California, Davis. During his undergraduate studies, he developed a love of research, studying animal behavior. He completed further research training at the University of Houston where he studied drosophila genetics. He completed his Medical Degree (MD) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees at Albany Medical College. His PhD thesis focused on the study of primary cilia and their role in a category of neurodevelopmental disorders known as ciliopathies.

Allison graduated from Santa Clara University with a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology and double minors in biology and urban education. She is passionate about rehabilitation sciences and plans to pursue a career in physical therapy.

Outside of the Boxer Lab, she enjoys hiking, playing tennis, and pickleball.

Maria joined the Memory and Aging Center in February 2021 as Administrative Manager to provide operational, analytical and administrative support to the Neurodegenerative Disease Brain Bank. She has a BA degree in education, with minors in mathematics and Spanish literature from the University of Pennsylvania.