Llaelyn Sierra-Cortez

I received my Bachelor of Science in biology from Linfield University in McMinnville, Oregon. There, I worked in Dr. Catherine Reinke’s laboratory doing genome annotation to better understand how the positions of genes within well-characterized biological pathways influence the evolution of pathway genes and their regulatory regions. I joined the Opportunities in Genomic Research to further my knowledge in science and strengthen my laboratory skills to better prepare myself for graduate school. I hope to pursue a PhD in Genetics and Genomics once in graduate school. 

Research area

In the Dougherty Laboratory, we study neurodevelopmental disorders to better understand how gene expression differences can change the trajectory of neural development. We believe that a better understanding of basic science behind syndromic conditions has the potential to give patients with these syndromes and their families a deeper understanding on what their conditions mean.