Samuel M. Young, Jr.

Samuel M. Young, Jr., PhD is a Professor of Pediatrics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, where he serves as Director of the Center for Molecular Medicine. He joined UNC in 2024 after previously holding a tenured Professor position at the University of Iowa, where he was also appointed Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology in 2021.

• Undergraduate: Princeton University
• Doctor of Philosophy: Genetics and Molecular Biology, UNC Gene Therapy Center

Dr. Young is a research scientist specializing in Genetics and Metabolism with a focus on two primary research areas: molecular principles of auditory information processing and gene therapy approaches to treat neurological disorders. His work on auditory processing seeks to understand how molecular machinery in auditory brainstem synapses enables neuronal computations at extremely high speeds to interpret sound information. His gene therapy research focuses on developing novel viral vector technology to create therapeutic strategies for neuronal dysfunction and degeneration.

His publications demonstrate a strong focus on synaptic transmission, calcium channel function, viral vector development, and auditory neuroscience. His recent work has centered on molecular mechanisms in neural circuits, viral vector engineering for neurological applications, and understanding age-related hearing loss.

Dr. Young's research employs a multi-disciplinary strategy encompassing molecular biology, virology, viral vectors, biophysics, light microscopy, electron microscopy, electrophysiology, and transgenic mouse models to address his research questions.

Dr. Young completed his initial postdoctoral work at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the Salk Institute in La Jolla, California, focusing on mechanisms of synaptic vesicle release and fusion. He continued his postdoctoral research at the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry in Goettingen, Germany, and later served as a Research Group Leader at the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience before joining the University of Iowa and subsequently UNC Chapel Hill.