Young Bio Leaders
UCSD Scientific Advisor and Program Lead
Alan Simmons
Dr. Simmons provides scientific oversight and mentorship for Young Bio Leaders, supporting student onboarding and guiding research-focused learning experiences. As Program Lead, he also oversees the student selection process, helping ensure a strong and motivated cohort. He plays a key role in maintaining academic rigor while introducing students to real-world research methods, including data analysis and meta-analysis using de-identified datasets.
President
Ava Lerman
I am the founder and President of YoungBioLeaders. I am a passionate STEM student and researcher at the Salk Institute studying microbiology and sonogenetics. I developed YoungBioLeaders to help others experience the pure joy of research. Nowadays, it isn't easy to just "start research" in high school. It takes hundreds of cold emails, and only a few high school students actually end up working in a lab. Through YoungBioLeaders, you are able to work in a professional lab and conduct real-world research, all for free.
Vice President
Sophia Pashmforoush
I am the Vice President of YoungBioLeaders. I have worked alongside researchers myself in heart-focused laboratories, including work related to Kawasaki disease. I am passionate about biology and plan to pursue it further in the future. Through this program, I hope to create opportunities for others, especially those who may feel that careers in science are difficult to reach.