Yun Yung, PhD

2018 Discovery Science Award Recipient

TITLE: Assistant Professor, Scintillon Institute

GOAL: Test a new way to deliver drugs to the newborn brain

Overview:

Dr. Yun Yung received his PhD at The Scripps Research Institute where he received the 2011 Mentored Young Investigator Award from HA. He is now an Assistant Professor at the Scintillon Institute where he is continuing his work on hydrocephalus. Dr. Yung’s work is focused on how the lipids (fats) present in the blood lead to the development of hydrocephalus after a brain bleed.

This study, “Drug delivery into the pediatric posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus brain,” will investigate how blood interacts with other factors in blood, such as iron, to cause hydrocephalus after a brain bleed. The study will also focus on getting drugs into the brain through non-invasive techniques. The research will test compounds that can transiently open the blood brain barrier to allow drugs through to the brain and also test new technologies such as target factor-specific nanoantibodies for drug delivery.