Yessica Acosta

Hello! My name is Yessica Acosta, I am a first-generation college student working towards a Bachelor's degree in Biochemistry. I have just wrapped up my coursework at Mission College and will be transferring to UC Santa Cruz this coming fall. I became interested in Neuroscience after taking part in Stanford's Science Small Groups, where I looked into the causes of autism and, later, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) development. I'm looking forward to conducting research under Dr. Natale on the topic of synapse formation and how impairments in synaptic transmission are linked to neurodegeneration and other disorders. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with friends and family, finding new music and restaurants, and recently traveling!

Faculty Mentor: Thomas Sudhof