Jerry is a junior at Amherst College pursuing majors in Biochemistry and Economics. While at Amherst College, he conducted research with Professor Lara Halaoui, studying the effects of dopant rare-earth metals on the electrocatalysis of the oxygen evolution reaction for water splitting.

As an Amgen Scholar at UCLA, Jerry is working in Dr. Neil Harris’ lab in the department of neurosurgery. His project in the Harris lab involves a collaboration with the Dr. Ina Wanner lab to investigate neurodegeneration in brain cells following repetitive minor traumatic brain injuries (TBI) using immunofluorescence. There are many studies showing that moderate and severe TBI leads to changes in the brain’s pathology and cognition in both the short and long-term. However, recent findings suggest that repetitive minor TBI also has short and long-term effects. In the Harris lab, Jerry will undergo an explorative study to determine where and to quantify how much neurodegeneration is occurring in the brain following repeated minor TBI in the acute phase. He will do this by staining mouse brains with antibodies that detect neurodegeneration and imaging them. This study has great relevance to contact athletes who often encounter multiple mild brain traumas throughout a season of play. Furthermore, it will further research on the early detection of and cures for Alzheimer’s Disease.

Jerry would like to thank the Amgen Foundation, the Harris Lab, and the Wanner Lab for their extensive mentorship and generous support in his exploration into the world of science.