Sara Young-Baird

Sara Young-Baird is an Assistant Professor (Tenure-Track) in the Department of Biochemistry at the School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. She completed her B.S. in Biology at Indiana University in 2010, earned her Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Indiana University School of Medicine in 2016, and completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Protein Biosynthesis at the National Institutes of Health in 2021.

• B.S. in Biology, Indiana University, 2010
• Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, 2016
• Postdoctoral Fellowship, Protein Biosynthesis, National Institutes of Health, 2021

Dr. Young-Baird's research focuses on the molecular mechanisms of protein synthesis and cellular stress responses. Her laboratory investigates translation regulation, ribosome biogenesis, and how defects in these processes contribute to human diseases, particularly MEHMO syndrome and other translation-related disorders. She examines how cellular stress pathways regulate gene-specific translation through mechanisms involving upstream open reading frames, ribosome stalling, and queuing.

Analysis of Dr. Young-Baird's recent publications reveals a consistent focus on the eIF2 translation initiation factor complex and its role in human disease. Her work spans from fundamental mechanisms of protein synthesis to translational applications for genetic disorders. A significant portion of her research examines MEHMO syndrome, with investigations into potential therapeutic approaches using small molecules like ISRIB. She has also made important contributions to understanding erythropoiesis in Diamond-Blackfan Anemia.

Dr. Young-Baird has collaborated extensively with researchers at the National Institutes of Health, particularly with Dr. Thomas Dever's laboratory, and with clinical researchers studying hematological disorders. Her work combines biochemical, genetic, and cell biological approaches to uncover the intricate mechanisms governing protein synthesis.

Her laboratory employs techniques including polysome profiling, molecular biology, and biochemical assays to study translation regulation. Recent work has developed polysome profiling as an extensible tool for analyzing various aspects of protein synthesis. She has also investigated the role of noncanonical RNA-binding domains in regulating ribosome elongation.