Our Team
Dr. Daniel Geschwind
Principal Investigator
Dr. Daniel Geschwind is the Principal Investigator of the Autism Genetics and Human Diversity Project. Dr. Geschwind obtained an A.B. in chemistry modified with psychology at Dartmouth College in 1982, followed by 2 years as a research associate at the Boston Consulting Group. He subsequently obtained his M.D. Ph.D (neurobiology with Susan Hockfield) at Yale School of Medicine (1991) prior to completing his internship, residency (Neurology), and postdoctoral fellowship at UCLA, after which he joined the faculty. Soon after that, he co-founded the UCLA Center for Autism Research and Treatment. The arching goal of his work is to develop a more mechanistic understanding of neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases by integrative analyses that connect human genetic variation to genes and neurobiological pathways.
Dr. Jennifer K. Lowe
Project Scientist
Dr. Jennifer Lowe is the cross-site coordinator and data manager for the Autism Genetics and Human Diversity Project. She facilitates communication with our collaborators at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Emory University, and Washington University; oversees genomic data-generation; and interfaces with the analysis team to support the identification of new genes contributing to autism spectrum disorders. Dr. Lowe obtained her PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Washington, Seattle, and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. She completed post-doctoral training at Rockefeller University and the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT before joining the Geschwind lab as a project scientist in 2009. In 2013, she took on the additional title of "Mom" and embarked on her most important genetic experiment to date: raising a son.
Marshel Adams
Marshel Adams is Project Coordinator of the Autism Genetics and Human Diversity Project at the UCLA Center for Autism Research and Treatment (CART). Marshel joined the team in 2022 with experience as an educator focused on special education. She has served in classrooms within the Miami-Dade County Public School District, CHIME Charter Institute, and Los Angeles Unified School District. She is passionate about assisting families throughout their child's learning career through communicating with parents and helping students one-on-one. Marshel obtained her Bachelor’s from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, and her Master's in Fine Arts from the University of California, San Diego. As a native of Miami, Florida, Marshel is a lover of the ocean and finds every excuse to be at Zuma Beach!
Research Project Coordinator
Amanda Chang
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Amanda is a third-year undergraduate student at UCLA majoring in Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics. She has a passion for work in public health and making a difference throughout her undergraduate career as well as after graduating, with plans on attending medical school. In her free time, Amanda enjoys cooking up new recipes, reading, and listening to music whilst doing absolutely nothing.
Daphnie Tseng
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Hi! My name is Daphnie, and I’m from San Diego, California. I am a first-year majoring in molecular, cellular, and developmental biology, hoping to pursue a career in STEM. Growing up with an older brother (who is on the spectrum) has inspired me to join UCLA CART and learn more about ASD. Outside of school, I enjoy reading, playing tennis and piano, and baking!
Anjali Roy
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Anjali Roy is a 4th year Biochemistry Major and Global Health Minor from Riverside, California. Her passions and interests include psychiatry, mental health advocacy, and improving medical disparities in healthcare. In her free time, you can find her singing or frolicking at the beach!