Our research team is responsible for coordinating clinical trials — in doing so they are the liaisons between our center and the community participating in clinical research.
Assistant Project Scientist
Dr. Bayram obtained her medical degree and consequently her PhD in Neurosciences from Ankara University, Turkey. After one year research fellowship at Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, Las Vegas, with a focus on Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease, she joined our team as a research fellow in 2019. In 2021, she transitioned to a project scientist position and she currently serves as a researcher in our team. Her research interests include sex differences and cognition in neurodegenerative diseases. She is also interested in teaching and expanding educational resources to non-English speaking patients and clinicians.
Nurse Practitioner
Gail Reiner joined UC San Diego Department of Neurosciences in 2009 as Family Nurse Practitioner with a Doctorate in Nursing from the University of San Diego participating in mitochondrial medicine, neonatal seizures, tic disorders, and Smith-Magenis Syndrome (SMS) research and clinical practice with Dr. Richard Haas. She is certified to provide Comprehensive Behavior Intervention for Tics (CBIT). Gail has given invited talks for SMS families for 12 years with Dr. Ann Smith (NIHGR/NIH) in the US, England and Australia and has participated in humanitarian projects in Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Honduras, Mexico and Estonia. She also volunteers as a brown-card chaplain at Donovan State Prison.
Clinical Research Manager
Jo A. Talledo Benrubi (she/her) is a graduate of UC San Diego and has worked for UC San Diego Health for all of her professional career. Ms. Talledo Benrubi started in the Department of Psychiatry as a student with Dr. Neal Swerdlow, ultimately becoming his program manager. She has managed multiple studies for patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and Alzheimer's Disease, and is co-author of 50+ abstracts and 30+ manuscripts. She joined the Parkinson and Other Movement Disorders Center in 2024.
Assistant Clinical Regulatory Research Coordinator
Matthew graduated from UC Irvine with a Bachelor's degree in Public Health. He began his career in research with UC San Diego in the Department of Ophthalmology at the Hamilton Glaucoma Center as a Clinical Research Coordinator. He was a study coordinator on over 20+ studies and co-authored a manuscript. He joined the Movement Disorders Center in 2024.
Senior Clinical Research Coordinator
Christina graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a Bachelor of Science in Cell and Developmental Biology. She began her career in research in 2007 at UC Irvine and has since been a study coordinator on over 45 Clinical Trials in the fields of neurology, psychiatry and rheumatology.
Clinical Research Coordinator
Jasmin graduated from CSU San Marcos in 2018 with a B.S. in Biological Sciences with an emphasis in Physiology. She began with Infectious Disease clinical research at the Naval Medical Center San Diego in 2019 and transitioned to the UC San Diego Movement Disorders Center in October 2021.
Clinical Trials Research Associate
Michael graduated from UC San Diego in 2021 with a Bachelor's degree in Cognitive Psychology. He began research at Cerro Coso Community College as an institutional student research before transferring to UC San Diego and working at the Moores Cancer Center as a student. After completing his undergraduate studies, he has joined the Movement Disorders Center as a Research Associate.
Clinical Trials Research Associate
Alonzo graduated from UC San Diego with a B.S in Public Health. He began research at the Shiley Marcos ADRC and at the SOL-INCA lab during his undergraduate career studying Dementia and other related disorders. During that time, he also worked in Parkinson's disease as a student research assistant and later transitioned into a Research Associate at the Movement Disorders Center after completing his undergraduate studies.
Clinical Trials Research Assistant
Reilly graduated from the University of Florida in 2021 with a B.S. in Biology and graduated from Georgetown University in 2022 with a M.S. in Physiology and Biophysics. She began research at the University of Florida Diabetes Institute and transitioned to Classic Galactosemia research for Emory University School of Medicine before joining the UCSD Movement Disorders Center in September 2022.