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Jong Rho, M.D.
Professor/Principal Investigator
Dr. Rho is the Division Chief of Neurology at the Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego, and is a Professor of Neurosciences, Pediatrics and Pharmacology at the UC San Diego School of Medicine..
His clinical expertise is in general pediatric neurology and pediatric epilepsy, with an emphasis on pharmacological therapies and metabolic approaches toward epilepsy treatment, such as the ketogenic diet. His main research interests are the mechanisms underlying the anti-seizure and neuroprotective effects of the ketogenic diet and its clinical variants.
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Jeffrey Smith, B.S.
Developmental Neurosciences Program Manager
Jeff has nearly 20 years of laboratory set-up and management experience at UCSD. He brings a wealth of experience to manage multiple basic-translational laboratories, and numerous operational, regulatory and budgetary complexities within a diverse, multi-institutional collaborative research environment. In his spare time, Jeff loves exploring local craft breweries, flying, motorcycles, and escaping to his cabin out of town.
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Srija Pamujula, B.S.
Staff Research Associate
Srija Pamujula graduated from UCSD with a B.S. in Neurobiology. She is interested in many areas of neuroscience including epileptogenesis. She intends to pursue a career in medicine focusing on Neuroscience. Apart from being in lab, she hopes to work as an EMT in order to further her interest in EMS in the near future. In her free time, Srija loves to paint, cook and dance.
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Hamza Thange
Laboratory Research Assistant
Hamza is a third year Human Biology major at UCSD. He is currently working on multiple epilepsy projects in the lab. After graduation, he hopes to attend medical school. In his free time, he likes to learn languages and read fantasy/scifi.
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Alex Tan
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Alex is a third year undergraduate student at UCSD pursuing a B.S. in General Biology and a minor in Environmental Systems. He hopes to pursue a career in medicine after graduation. Outside of the lab, he is involved in multiple medical service clubs, co-captains the rock climbing team at UCSD, and enjoys spending time exploring the nature around San Diego.
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Meika Tomita
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Meika is a first-year undergraduate at UCSD pursuing a B.S. in Human Biology. She is interested in the dietary implications of brain health and epileptogenesis. Meika intends to pursue a career in medicine and research after graduation. In her free time, she enjoys playing volleyball and trying new ice cream flavors.
Associated Faculty & Researchers
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Melissa Campbell, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor in Residence
Dr. Campbell is a new Assistant Professor in the department of Neurosciences at UCSD health, in the Division of Pediatric Neurology. Dr. Campbell is passionate about helping both neurons and people achieve their full potential. When she’s not in the lab, Melissa loves gardening, baking, biking, and enjoying nature with her husband (also a scientist) and young daughter (exploring her options).
Campbell Lab Website
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Yujie Cao, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Scholar
Yujie is a Postdoctoral Fellow who is currently conducting research in Melissa Campbell's laboratory. He received his Ph.D. from Utrecht University in the Netherlands, where he focused on microtubule organization and intracellular transport during neuronal development. In his current position, Yujie's research focuses primarily on interneuron differentiation. Beyond his work in the lab, he has a passion for electronic music, photography, and video games.
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Jungeun Lim, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Scholar
Jungeun obtained a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from both Seoul National University and Georgia Institute of Technology. Her interest lies in applying engineering techniques to model the neuromicroenvironment, with the aim of discovering new findings in Neuroscience. Besides her research work, Jungeun enjoys playing tennis, cooking, and traveling with her spouse.
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Matthew Shtrahman, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Adjunct Professor
Matt received his undergraduate degree in Biochemistry from the University of Michigan. He returned to his hometown to obtain his MD and PhD degrees at the University of Pittsburgh, where he did his thesis work with Dr. Xiao-lun Wu in the Department of Physics. He completed his residency training and clinical neurophysiology fellowship in the Department of Neurology at UCLA. Matt went on to do his postdoctoral training in the labs of Dr. Tom Otis at UCLA and Dr. Fred Gage at the Salk Institute before joining the faculty of the Department of Neurosciences at UCSD in 2016.
Shtrahman Lab Website