Hannah Nguyen
B.S. | MS3 | hannahln@hs.uci.edu
I joined the Sajjadi Lab as an undergraduate research assistant in 2018. After graduating from UCI in 2020 with a B.S. in Human Biology, I became a junior specialist in the Sajjadi Lab. Currently, I am involved in several studies including developing neuroimaging biomarkers and retrospective analyses of clinical databases. Since joining the lab, I have co-authored Utility of MRI in Identification of Atrophy in Hippocampal Sclerosis of Aging. I have also presented our research at the American Academy of Neurology 2021 Annual Meeting and the American Neurological Association 2021 Annual Meeting. My interest in neurology research stems from my experiences visiting patients in memory care facilities. I joined the lab to further develop my understanding of neurodegenerative diseases and contribute to research in the dementia field. I am currently attending medical school at UCI with an interest in neurology, psychiatry, and physical medicine and rehabilitation.
Ghazaleh Jazi
M.D. | Neurology Resident, PGY-2 | gjazi@uci.edu
I graduated from the Tehran University of Medical Sciences in Tehran, Iran. After completing 18 months of internship, I was assigned to join the Medical Ethics Research Center of Tehran University to complete two years of mandated service. This experience enhanced my understanding of important ethical principles, such as end-of-life care. Subsequently, I immigrated to the United States to continue my medical training.
While studying for the USMLE exams, I joined Sajjadi lab as a Research Assistant where I was involved with a study determining the extent to which cognitive impairment impacts amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients’ perceptions of their motor disabilities. I presented our primary findings at the American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting 2019. In another study, I helped examine the utility of statistical learning performance as a measure of the integrity of hippocampal subfields. Additionally, we created the first online dementia support group for native Farsi speakers to provide educational information for patients with early-stage dementia and their families. In addition to research, working with Dr. Sajjadi offered me extensive clinical exposure which further reinforced my commitment to neurology.
In 2020, my dream came true and I matched at UC Irvine neurology residency program. I am very grateful for the opportunity to continue working with Dr. Sajjadi and other team members during residency.
In my spare time, I enjoy hyperrealistic colored pencil drawing, cooking Iranian dishes, and spending time with my family and friends. I am also a huge fan of SoCal theme parks!
Jiaxin Yu
B.S. | PhD Statistics | jiaxiny4@uci.edu
I’m a PhD student in the Department of Statistics. My research particularly focuses on nonparametric smoothing/functional data analysis and causal inference. After joining the Sajjadi Lab in 2022, I was able to apply my statistical methodology and analyze aging and dementia. At the lab, I primarily work on the data from the 90+ Study, which initiates to study the oldest old. With this data, our research adapts a data-driven model to better characterize the correlations between age-related neuropathologic changes and identify their contributions to neuropsychological domains.