September 2, 2015 Program: Julie Mangada, PhD | Scientific Literacy
Dr. Julie Mangada recently accepted a position at the Buck Institute for Research as a full-time K-12 outreach coordinator. She believes that everyone has a vested interest, whether as individuals or as a society, in scientific literacy.
Dr. Mangada received her B.S. from the University of New Hampshire in 2000. She earned her Ph.D. in Molecular Medicine from the University of Massachusetts Medical School in 2007. Specializing in immunology, her doctoral research worked to tease apart the molecular mechanisms of autoimmunity and how they relate to transplantation tolerance induction.
Dr. Mangada joined the Buck Institute for Research on Aging in 2008 as a Post Doctoral researcher in the laboratory of Xianmin Zeng, Ph.D. In a departure from her doctoral studies she began working with human embryonic stem cells (hESC) and their directed differentiation into neurons for cell replacement therapies. Dr. Mangada’s studies led to the development of an in vivo non-invasive MRI-based imaging platform for studying transplanted dopaminergic neurons during the peri-transplant period in a Parkinson’s Disease model.
She expanded the breadth and scope of her inquiries at the Buck Institute by joining the laboratory of Judith Campisi, Ph.D. in 2010. In the Campisi laboratory Dr. Mangada couples her background in immunology with her contemporary embryonic stem cell experience to investigate stem cell epigenetics and how genetic erosion and DNA repair mechanisms contribute to the suitability of hESC in cell replacement therapies.
In addition to her research, Dr. Mangada dedicated 20% of her effort at the Institute to educational outreach. Whether science is polarizing theological beliefs, promising to cure devastating diseases or prompting individuals to ask pertinent questions about the future of our aging population or environment Dr. Mangada believes it is the golden thread that weaves together all the diverse fabrics of our society. Her philosophy is that science should be accessible to everybody because it permeates all aspects of our culture, leading her to be a huge advocate of early science education.
During her short tenure as the Education Outreach Coordinator at the Buck Institute, Dr. Mangada’s efforts have lead to the creation of several dynamic new community outreach programs, some of which include a weekend Science Boot Camp, a summer Algebra Academy, elementary school molecular biology classes and a high school lecture series designed to bring Buck Institute research to local students. She works with both Sonoma and Marin Counties’ Directors for the Program in Biotechnology Education (PROBE), the Sonoma County Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) program and sits on the Board of the Sonoma County Office of Education Biotechnology Advisory Committee and the Novato Unified School District’s STEM Program Steering Committee.