Jason Stein

Jason Stein, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Genetics at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and a member of the UNC Neuroscience Center. His work focuses on uncovering how genetic variation impacts brain structure, development, and neuropsychiatric disease risk. Stein’s lab employs neural progenitor cell models, organoid systems, and computational approaches to study gene regulation during neurogenesis. He has received notable awards including the Yang Family Biomedical Scholars Award and NIH grants for projects exploring gene-environment interactions in Alzheimer’s disease and autism spectrum disorder.

His research combines advanced imaging techniques like MRI and genomics to map genetic effects on brain phenotypes. Key contributions include identifying common genetic variants influencing brain functional networks and developing cortical organoid models to study autism-related brain overgrowth. Stein collaborates widely, leveraging interdisciplinary teams to address translational challenges in neurogenetics.

• Education: Doctorate in Genetics (PhD)
• Labs/Teams: Stein Lab (UNC School of Medicine)
• Grants & Funding:
  • NIA U01 Grant for gene-environment modeling
  • NIMH R01 for autism organoid studies
  • NC Biotechnology Center Flash Grant for electrophysiological organoid devices

Stein actively mentors graduate students and postdocs, emphasizing translational research. Recent work highlights include developing novel imaging platforms for organoid analysis and advancing ethical frameworks for organoid research involving human biospecimens.