Julia Polen

Julia joined the McMackin Lab in 2026 as a third-year nursing student at Elon University in the United States. Julia is particularly interested in the intersection of neuroscience, clinical care, and translational research. She is passionate about understanding the mechanisms underlying neurological and neurodegenerative diseases and how scientific discoveries can be translated into meaningful improvements in patient care. Last year, she worked in the Neurology Department at Columbia University in New York City, culminating in a publication, “Plexiform Neurofibromas in Neurofibromatosis Type I: Current and Emergent Therapeutic Strategies.” Through her work in the McMackin Lab, she looks forward to contributing to ongoing research investigating ALS, Huntington's disease, and other neurodegenerative disorders while expanding her experience in clinical research and data analysis.