Yun Yung
Posted by Scintillon Institute on December 03, 2018
On November 3, 2018, the Scintillon Institute is proud to announce the recent addition to its faculty a leading scientist Dr. Yun Yung, who is an expert on cortical brain development and related neurological disorders, including hydrocephalus.
Hydrocephalus, otherwise known as “water on the brain” is one of the most common neurological disorders in children with an incidence rate of 0.01%, similar to Down’s syndrome. In addition, adults and the elderly can also suffer from different variants of hydrocephalus, particularly in cases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
By studying the fundamental mechanisms responsible for the onset and progression of hydrocephalus, Dr. Yung’s lab aims to develop new scientific understanding and novel treatments for hydrocephalus and these other debilitating disorders. His lab has been recently awarded a Discovery Science grant by the Hydrocephalus Association in recognition of the importance of this work. In addition, Dr. Yung is developing several joint projects with other Scintillon faculty to tackle these problems with cutting edge technologies and bioinformatics. Dr. Yung will also continue his collaborations with researchers at other institutions such as UC San Diego, Harvard University, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, Washington University, Indiana University, and internationally with National Taiwan Medical University.
“Dr. Yung is a true leader as a theorist and an experimental biologist in this critical field of research, already having contributed substantially to our current understanding of hydrocephalus,” said Dr. Jiwu Wang, President of Scintillon Institute. “He is dedicated to the path as an independent academic scientist, a path that lures bright minds into graduate school education and post-doctoral training. It takes talent, dedication, and grit to overcome difficulties. Dr. Yung is the first young faculty member to enter Scintillon’s Assistant Professor entry program, which has been developed to give promising young investigators the academic freedom and support necessary to nourish potentially transformational and translational science.” “I am very excited and honored to have been recognized and recruited by Scintillon faculty as their newest colleague through this program,” said Dr. Yung. “I am drawn to Scintillon’s founding mission, true collaborative environment, and exciting intellectual atmosphere fostered by Dr. Wang and the faculty. We intend to be good stewards of the funds and gifts to helping solve some of mankind’s most pressing health problems.
Scintillon is a non-profit research institute focused on the development and application of new technologies to diagnose, treat, and prevent disease. Founded in 2012, the Institute’s faculty includes experts in biomedical and cellular engineering, regenerative medicine, neuroscience, cancer, and infectious diseases. Scintillon Institute is located in the heart of the San Diego biotechnology hub, with partners and collaborators around the world.
The Hydrocephalus Association is the largest private foundation and advocacy group in the world to support basic and clinical hydrocephalus research. Its mission is to provide financial and other support through its network of pediatric and adult-focused hospital networks. Since 2009, the Hydrocephalus Association has raised millions of dollars to support promising research and has set an ambitious “Roadmap to a Cure” goal of raising $20 million by 2020.