Jerlyn Tolentino, M.A. (Behavioral Neuroscience Emphasis) – I am a Clinical Research Coordinator for the Gleeson Laboratory for Developmental Neurogenetics on the University of California, San Diego campus. The laboratory is focused on the identification of the genetic causes of recessive neurological impairments and brain malformations, such as mental retardation, epilepsy, microcephaly, and lissencephaly. My role is to identify children with these conditions and to obtain their clinical and radiological information in order to confirm the diagnosis and manage a clinical database of over 900 patients. I am also involved in the isolation of DNA from blood or saliva samples, as well as the preparation of NIH grants and manuscripts for publication. The Master’s program at San Diego State University prepared me for my role as a clinical coordinator because classes such as Advanced Neuropsychology and Development of Language provided me with a solid background of the brain and the developmental process. Additionally, my research assistantship in Dr. Paul Gilbert’s lab provided the valuable experience of managing and coordinating a clinical study independently.
