Meet the Team

  • Kyle Fink, Ph.D.

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

    Meet Kyle

  • Katherine Lucot, Ph.D.

    ASSISTANT RESEARCHER

    Meet Katie

  • David Cameron

    LAB MANAGER / STAFF RESEARCH ASSOCIATE IV

    Meet David

  • Jennifer Waldo, Ph.D.

    POSTDOC

    Meet JJ

  • Isaac Villegas

    PHD STUDENT

  • Casiana Gonzalez

    PHD STUDENT

    Meet Casiana

  • Paula Vij

    PHD STUDENT

    Meet Paula

  • Klaudia Braczyk

    PHD STUDENT

    Meet Klaudia

  • Yomira Palacios

    PHD STUDENT

  • Mandeep Singh

    PHD STUDENT

  • Victoria Du

    PHD STUDENT

    Meet Victoria

  • Ankita Singh

    MD/PHD STUDENT

Previous Members

  • Training Period: 2014-2021

    Projects: Angelman’s and Huntington’s Disease, novel therapeutic delivery platform

    Last Known Position: Synthego Operations Manager

  • Training Period: 2014-2024

    Projects: CDKL5 Deficiency Disorder and Rett Syndrome (MECP2)

    Last Known Position: Assistant Professor at UC Davis

  • Training Period: 2018-2023

    Project: RNA Base Editing for Jordan’s Syndrome

    Last Known Position: UPenn Orphan Disease Center

  • Training Period: 2018-2022

    Projects: X-linked intellectual disorders

    Last Known Position: Senior Research Associate at Infinant Health

  • Training Period: 2021-2024

    Projects: TCF4

    Last Known Position: PhD Candidate in the Quon Lab

  • Training Period: 2015-2017

    Projects: Huntington’s

    Last Known Position: Salk Institute Researcher

  • Training Period: 2021

    Projects: X-linked intellectual disorders

  • Training Period: 2014-2017

    Projects: Huntington’s

    Last Known Position: UCLA Medical Center Resident

  • Training Period: 2023-2024

    Projects: Organoid models

  • Training Period: 2020-2021

    Projects: Jordan’s Syndrome

    Last Known Position: PhD Student at UC San Diego

  • Training Period: 2015-2016

    Projects: Huntington’s

    Last Known Position: Quality Control

  • Training Period: 2019

    Projects: novel delivery platforms

    Last Known Position: Graduate Student at UC Davis

  • Training Period: 2017

    Projects: CRISPR regulation

    Last Known Position: Environmental Scientist position in the Assessment Policy and Processing Unit at the State Water Resources Control Board within the Division of Water Quality

  • Training Period: 2017-2018

    Projects: Angelman’s Syndrome

  • Training Period: 2023-2024

    Projects: Huntington's Disease

    Last Known Position: Undergraduate Student at UCLA

  • Training Period: 2017-2019

    Previous Projects: CDKL5 Deficiency Disorder

    Last Known Position: Physician Associate Student

  • Training Period: 2021-2022

    Project: X-linked intellectual disability

Kyle Fink- Principal Investigator

The Fink laboratory focuses on the therapeutic development of gene modifying modalities such as Zinc Fingers, Transcription Activator-like Effectors, and CRISPR/Cas9 to treat genetically-linked neurological disorders. My academic training and research experience have provided me with a background in multiple biological disciplines including neuroscience, molecular biology, microbiology, chemistry, and genetics. I did my undergraduate research with Jeff Smith at the University of Portland, a Ph.D. at Central Michigan University with Gary Dunbar and Julien Rossignol, another Ph.D. at the University of Nantes with Laurent Lescaudron and my postdoctoral training at UC Davis with Jan Nolta. My lab is focused on translating novel gene modifying therapeutics using patient-derived human iPSC, transgenic rodents, and large animals for translation.

In 2017, I was awarded space and resources from the Neurology Department and the Institute for Regenerative Cures to form an independent team, as a PI. My lab focuses on the therapeutic development of gene modifying modalities to induce epigenetic alterations in neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders for which there is known genetic etiology. Our group focuses on assessments of cellular phenotypes in human models of disease, such as induced pluripotent stem cells, indicators of molecular efficacy in transgenic rodent models, and optimization of delivery modalities, such as viral vectors, lipid nanoparticles and mesenchymal stem cells.

When I’m not in the lab I spend time with my wife, two kids, and two dogs. We like exploring the Sacramento area camping and boating.

Katie Lucot - ASSITANT RESEARCHER

I am a geneticist interested in rare neurodegenerative diseases, specifically at the intersections of gene editing, pathology, and animal modeling. My interest in genetics first started at Cal Poly Pomona, where I received my B.S. in Pre-Veterinary Science. Following my newfound love for animal genetics, I studied genomic predictions for age at puberty and reproductive longevity in pigs at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, and received my M.S. in Animal Breeding and Genetics. Realizing I wanted to branch into the human realm, I pursued my Ph.D. at UC Davis, in Integrative Genetics and Genomics, investigating birth defects in dogs which directly translate over to humans (cleft palate, Robinow Syndrome, and neuroaxonal dystrophy). Following my quantitative training, I pursued a more molecular Postdoc at Stanford University, in Dr. Tom Montine’s laboratory studying the pathology and early detection of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Now, as an Assistant Professional Researcher in the Fink Lab, I am studying rare diseases in children, caused by haploinsufficiency, with the hopes of developing a CRISPR activation system to rescue the phenotype. Outside of science, you can find me outdoors in a river or the mountains, with my dogs and family.

Julian Halmai - Postdoctoral Scholar

I am currently a post-doctoral scholar in the lab. After receiving a Master of Science from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, I moved to the Sacramento area in 2014 where I have conducted my graduate research in the Fink lab and have received a PhD at UC Davis in the Integrative Genetics and Genomics graduate group. I am highly interested in epigenetics and how we can build and apply molecular tools to precisely alter epigenetic marks that can directly impact gene expression. This reversible nature makes epigenetics an interesting drug target. I am fascinated by applying these tools to the X chromosome, a hotspot for epigenetics with the ultimate goal to treat neurological disorders. In my free time I enjoy discussing science with the better Dr. Halmai and spending time with our mini-horse Harvey. To release some stress outside of the lab I repetitively pick up heavy objects, only to immediately put them back down, or practice my sweet roundhouse kick.

David Cameron - Staff Research Associate III

My main role in Dr Fink's lab is to provide support and expertise for Immunohistochemistry related work for all projects that require mouse model (in vivo) investigation and analysis, along with data derived from microscopy investigation and evaluation. I directly investigate protein biomarker targets for Angelman Syndrome that may be used to determine efficacy of treatment and rescue of phenotype and am evaluating the effect of a small molecule therapy that shows potential for reducing neuroinflammatory response associated with neurodegenerative disorders. Recently I have begun to focus on the immunohistochemical evaluation of proteins implicated in the neurodevelopmental X Linked CDKL5 deficiency disorder.

Jennifer Waldo - Ph.D. Student

I received my bachelor’s degree from CSU Northridge in Cellular and Molecular Biology, where I worked on rat models of Parkinson’s disease. I went on to receive my Master’s in Stem Cell Biology from CSU Sacramento where I began working under Dr. Fink on Huntington’s Disease. I received my PhD in Integrative Genetics and Genomics from UC Davis. My research focuses on developing translational therapeutics for Huntington’s Disease using gene-editing technologies, such as CRISPR-dCas9, along with novel delivery modalities for transporting these therapeutics to the brain.

During undergrad, I played on my college’s soccer team and continue to love sports and being active in my free time. I also enjoy hanging out with friends and my dog Eevee, who is a rescue dog that loves to wreak havoc at any chance possible. I also have a cat named Nala who enjoys hiding under my bed and opening doors.

Paula Vij - Ph.D. Student

Paula is a graduate student in the Neuroscience Ph.D. program. She received her B.S. in Biology with an emphasis in Physiology from California State University, East Bay. She is interested in advancing the understanding of neurological disorders through disease modeling and molecular characterization, as well as therapeutic development. She enjoys solving puzzles, playing board games, and watching documentaries during her free time.

I am a PhD student in the Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Physiology graduate group. I first joined the Fink Lab as a Cal Poly Humboldt CIRM Bridges post-baccalaureate student and later continued as a Junior Specialist and now a PhD student. For fun, I like to float down the American River in the summer or enjoy lazy mornings with my cat, Mosaic (Mo).

Casiana Gonzalez - Ph.D. Student

Hi! I'm Klaudia and I am a PhD Student in the Integrative Genetics and Genomics program at UC Davis. I received my B.S. and M.S. degrees from Medical University of Silesia in Poland. I'm an alumna of the BioLAB Fulbright scholarship at University of Virginia. I am fascinated by the potential of genetics and epigenetics in translational research and how we can use it to help patients. My current work in the Fink Lab focuses on investigating potential of the epigenetic reactivation of X chromosome in treatment of X-linked genetic, neurological disorders, like Rett Syndrome. After work, I love spending time on family video calls, travelling and cooking artisan Italian food. And cats, cats are life :)

Klaudia Braczyk - Ph.D. Student

I am a PhD student in the Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Physiology program at UC Davis and joined the Fink Lab in 2024. I received my Bachelor's degree from UC Berkeley in Molecular and Cell Biology and worked as research associate at UCSF, Stanford University, Hong Kong University, and UC Berkeley before started graduate school. I am interested in studying Jordan's Syndrome. Outside of lab, I am a hip-hop dancer and I like to cuddle with my cats.

Victoria Du- Ph.D. Student

Introducing…

  • Maximus Decimus Meridius

    Aka Max bay boyz. Aka Max. (Isaac’s Boss)

  • Smith Squad

    Sassafras - top left, Frank - top right, River - bottom left, Oly - bottom right.

    (Katie’s Bosses)

  • Harvey

    (Julian’s Boss)

  • Eevee

    (JJ Waldo’s boss #1)

  • Nala

    (JJ Waldo’s Boss #2)

  • Reggie

    (Kyle’s Boss #1)

  • Dougan

    (Kyle’s Boss #2)

  • Bruno and Wolf

    (Paula’s Bosses)

  • Shirley

    Lab Alumnus

  • Mosaic (Mo)

    (Casiana’s Boss)

  • Tobey

    (Klaudia’s Baby)

  • Lily

    (Victoria’s Boss)

  • Lulu

    (Victoria’s Boss)