Dr. Kao is a Professor in the Department of Neurology at UCSF.  She studied Neuroscience at Brown University prior to receiving her MD and PhD degrees from the University of Iowa.  There, she trained in the laboratory of Dr. Jeffrey Pessin, studying the cellular and molecular biology of insulin receptor signaling and GLUT4 trafficking.  She completed an internship in Internal Medicine at the Beth Israel-Deaconess Medical Center in Boston and then a Neurology residency at the University of California, San Francisco where she was Chief Resident.  She completed a one-year fellowship in Behavioral Neurology with Dr. Bruce Miller in the Dept. of Neurology and a post-doctoral research fellowship with Dr. Cynthia Kenyon in the Dept. of Biochemistry prior to starting her own group at UCSF.

Molly studied Neuroscience and Psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles. She then completed her PhD 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. elegans. Her project focuses on the interaction between progranulin and prosaposin and their role in lysosomal function and neurodegeneration.

Caroline earned her BSc in Biopsychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Prior to graduate school, she worked as a research assistant in Benjamin Reese's lab where she investigated genetic regulation of AII amacrine cell development in the retina. Caroline earned her PhD in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology after training with Joel Rothman at UCSB. For her dissertation, she characterized gravitaxis behavior in C. elegans and uncovered cellular and molecular requirements for this behavior. During her postdoc, she will be studying APP degradation in the lysosome and its relationship to Tau in the aging brain. Caroline also enjoys crafting, aerial dance, and playing with her cats.

Shunpan studied Pharmacy at Shenyang Pharmaceutical University. She then completed her PhD in Cell Biology under Professor Yanshan Fang at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, where she investigated the role and mechanism of glia in regulating the integrity of the blood-brain barrier and aging in Drosophila. She identified a novel gene, GLAD, which specifically functions in glia to maintain BBB and brain integrity, as well as normal lifespan, by silencing age-related increased immune responses through heterochromatin modifications. Additionally, she initiated and optimized the protocol for spatial transcriptomic studies of spinal cord injury in mice. In the Kao lab, Shunpan will continue her research on aging and protein homeostasis using C. elegans and human cell lines. Her project focuses on the interaction between progranulin and prosaposin and their roles in lysosomal function and neurodegeneration.

Courtney studied biological engineering and biology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She then completed her MD/PhD at UT Southwestern. She trained with Dr. Joachim Herz studying ApoE receptor signaling in transgenic mouse models of Alzheimer's disease. She identified a role for Reelin, a protein that is vital for brain development, in protecting older rodents against amyloid beta, one of the primary pathology proteins that accumulates in Alzheimer's disease. As a fourth-year neurology resident at the University of California, San Francisco, and then continuing as an R25 postdoctoral researcher, Courtney will be studying lysosomal health and function in models of aging.

Kriti grew up in Mumbai, India, where she also obtained her B.Sc. in Microbiology at Ramnarain Ruia college. She received her M.Sc. Biotechnology degree from M.S. University of Baroda in India where she became interested in protein aggregation after studying yeast prion-like proteins for her master's dissertation. During her PhD at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Pune, Kriti worked on the mechanisms of cellular and conformational regulation of protein aggregation using a Drosophila model of ALS. After completing her PhD in 2019, she explored the biochemical relationship of a protein chaperone, proSAAS, with its target protein aggregates in mammalian cells during her postdoctoral studies at the University of Maryland Baltimore. She joined the University of California as a postdoc at the Ullian lab and developed a new protocol to generate 2D and 3D assembled organoid models of iPSC-derived dopaminergic neuronal subtypes that are vulnerable in Parkinson's disease. In the Kao lab, as an associate specialist, Kriti is exploring lysosomal biology in iPSC-derived neuronal and glial cells in healthy and neurogenerative disease states. In her spare time, Kriti enjoys walking and exploring cafes and pizza joints in the city.

Andrea graduated from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, with a M.S. in Biomedical Engineering and a specialization in stem cell research.   

Mackenzie studied Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. After graduating, he worked in the biotech industry focused primarily on  biomarker assay development for Parkinson's disease. As a graduate student at UCSF, he is interested in investigating how lysosomal pH is altered in neurodegenerative disease. 

Camila studied molecular and cell biology with an emphasis in neuroscience at the University of California, Berkeley. She worked in the lab of Dr. Andrew Dillin, where she researched the integrity of the actin cytoskeleton as a function of age in C. elegans and the effect of TRPV1 knockout on VCP disease models. She is currently in the UCSF Tetrad Program and plans to complete her PhD researching how protein homeostasis is controlled in neurodegenerative disease. When she is not in lab, she enjoys cooking, making espresso, pottery, comedy, and taking care of her plants.

Virginia studied chemical biology at UC Berkeley. She worked in the labs of Ron Zuckermann and Caroline Ajo-Franklin at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, where she studied biologically inspired nanomaterials. Afterwards, she worked for two years at a biotech company focused on finding treatments for Parkinson's Disease. She is currently a CCB graduate student at UCSF and is interested in using unbiased methods and chemical biology tools to study lysosomal defects in neurodegenerative diseases. Outside of the lab, Virginia enjoys reading, cooking, and road cycling.

Andrew earned his B.S. in Neuroscience in 2021 at the University of California, Los Angeles. There he studied Multiple Sclerosis from 2019-2024 in the MacKenzie-Graham lab, first as an undergraduate volunteer and later as a full-time staff researcher. Collaborating closely with the Voskuhl and Waschek groups, he focused on sex differences in MS pathology; possible therapeutic interventions and disease mechanisms; and the EAE model. His background and interest in neurodegenerative disease led him to the Kao Lab, where he works with Dr. Lane-Donovan to investigate lysosomal dysfunctions in aging and associated neurodegenerative contexts using relevant murine and in-vitro models.

Emily earned her B.S. in Biology in 2025 at the University of San Francisco. There she briefly worked in an organic chemistry lab synthesizing a library of inhibitors for staphylococcus aureus before transitioning to become an undergraduate intern for Dr. Lane-Donovan. At UCSF, she learned the basics of IHC and microscopy in order quantify the fluctuation of cathepsin protease levels in different brain regions with age. After graduating, she joined the Kao Lab as an SRA and is working with Dr. Lane-Donovan, studying lysosomal dysfunction in connection to neurodegenerative disease using cell culturing techniques. 
 

Joanne graduated from San Francisco State University wth a B.S. degree in Microbiology, pursuing Clinical Laboratory Science (CLS).

Laura Wise, a San Francisco native, holds a B.S. in Health Education from San Francisco State University. Passionate about promoting health education in underserved communities, Laura advocates for better healthcare access and supports troubled youth in navigating mental and physical health challenges. She began her career at UCSF in 2007 and joined the Memory and Aging Center in 2020, where she supports its mission through her extensive administrative experience. Laura is also a member of the Center's Black Leadership Advisory Council (BLAC) and actively engages in community activities in her spare time.