Justin Cohen

Justin Cohen is an Associate Research Scientist in the Department of Genetics at Yale School of Medicine. His work focuses on genetic mechanisms underlying neuromuscular disorders, HIV-associated pathogenesis, and cellular senescence. Cohen completed his PhD at Drexel University College of Medicine (2018) and BS at Tufts University (2012).

• Education: PhD, Drexel University College of Medicine (2018); BS, Tufts University (2012)

His research integrates molecular genetics, cell biology, and translational medicine to study diseases like facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy and HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders. Recent work includes developing therapeutic strategies using CRISPR-Cas9 screens and investigating mitochondrial genome constraints. He has pioneered studies on astrocyte senescence mechanisms and antiretroviral drug effects.

Cohen's publications span topics from mitochondrial genomics to muscular dystrophy therapies, with notable contributions to understanding senescence pathways in neurodegenerative contexts. His lab collaborates on projects involving disease modeling, drug discovery, and genomic analysis tools like SMuRF assays.