Meet the Team

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.