Meet the Lab

Jonathan Flint is a British behavior geneticist and Professor in Residence in the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. He is also a senior scientist in the Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics at UCLA’s Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior.

Jonathan Flint fundamentally advanced understanding of the genetic basis of behaviour, thereby determining the direction of research in psychiatric genetics.

1. He developed the first genome wide association strategy that identified genes and sequence variants underlying complex behavioural traits, particularly anxiety and depression, in mammals.
2. He pioneered the analysis of structural variation at telomeres as a cause of intellectual disability.
3. He identified the first robust genetic associations for major depression in humans, implying a novel origin for psychiatry’s commonest disorder.

Patrick joined Dr. Flint's lab in 2019 to gain experience in more translationally focused research areas. Previously, he completed my PhD in Dr. Kelsey Martin's lab at UCLA and also a postdoc in Dr. Weizhe Hong's lab. He is interested in understanding 1) how genetic variation relates to epigenetic and molecular features in the context of behavior, and 2) how genetic variation shapes neural circuit function and architecture in the brain to alter behavior. In his free time he likes to write, watch TV/movies, read, and complain about the American healthcare system.

Rachel is the lab manager and SRA in Flint Lab. She has a master’s degree in animal physiology and many years of working experiences in the field of neuroscience. She is currently working on developing a pathway from genetic locus to gene project. On her spare time, she enjoys the great outdoors, traveling and dancing.

Anne is an undergraduate student majoring in Neuroscience and a researcher in the Flint lab. She joined the lab because of her interest in exploring the biological mechanisms that influence behavior. Currently, she is studying how genetic variation affects behavior. In her free time, Anne enjoys drawing, playing video games, and dancing.

Ariel, an undergraduate researcher majoring in Psychobiology with a minor in Brain and Behavioral Health and a specialization in Computing, is currently engaged in the Flint Lab's research on the neural circuits underlying anxiety and aggression. Her academic focus aligns with her broader interests in mental disorders and her aspiration to pursue a career in psychiatry. Outside of her academic pursuits, Ariel enjoys dancing, playing badminton, and traveling.