Dr. Yung earned dual A.B. degrees in Molecular Cell Biology and Cognitive Sciences from the University of California, Berkeley and his Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences from the University of California, San Diego. He subsequently continued research at Scripps Research and Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute prior to joining the Scintillon Institute.  Dr. Yung’s research in numerous fields has led to key discoveries in numerous fields, including childhood hydrocephalus, single nuclei RNA sequencing (snRNAseq), altered genomes in normal and diseased brain cells that are linked mechanistically to neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Down syndrome.

More recently, Professor Yung’s focus extends to translational studies on induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and their nearly limitless potential in the treatment of conditions like diabetes, macular degeneration, Parkinson’s disease, and general aging. Using messenger RNA, iPSCs can be turned into useful cell types like beta cells, neurons, retinal cells, fibroblasts, and mesenchymal stem cells.  Dr. Yung is currently an Assistant Professor at Scintillon Institute, a member of the Scintillon Institute Center for Aging Research (SI-CAR), and a consulting scientist for Allele Biotechnology and Pharmaceuticals, Inc, both in San Diego.