Dr. Brandon Weissbourd is a Postdoctoral Scholar Research Associate in Biology and Biological Engineering at California Institute of technology. In his research, under the mentorship of Dr. David Anderson, he utilizes Clytia hemisphaerica, a Mediterranean jellyfish, to study neural development, neural regeneration, and systems neuroscience. This species’ unique features, including its small size, transparency, genetic tractability, constant neurogenesis, and regenerative capabilities, make it ideal for accomplishing Dr. Weissbourd’s aims. Utilizing novel technologies, including CRISPR, he will characterize the molecular phenotypes of neurons in this population, develop and test models of underlying neural mechanisms, and determine the mechanisms of this species’ neurogenesis and regenerative features. His goal is to provide the foundational work to make Clytia a widely used model system. Dr. Weissbourd received his undergraduate degree from Harvard University and PhD from Stanford University.