The physical and life sciences have captivated Job Huxford since early childhood — an interest that set him apart from his peers. Originally from small-town Cedar City, Utah, he found the door to a new community and opportunities in science at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, where he graduated with a degree in Biochemistry. Among those opportunities was being a teaching assistant as well as a student mentor for the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. However, his most significant experience was as an undergraduate researcher and as a lab technician for a year following his graduation under the mentorship of Dr. Marco Bortolato, investigating the pathophysiology and pharmacology of neurological disorders, including Tourette’s syndrome and Parkinson’s Disease. During his senior year, Job was awarded an undergraduate research fellowship from the University of Utah for work in this lab.
For Job, pursuing a PhD in biomedical sciences came naturally. He has always strived to let his understanding of biology and chemistry shape how he views the world. He finds immense satisfaction in acquiring knowledge and has a genuine desire to have a positive impact on human health. Influenced by his research experience with Dr. Bortolato, Job is interested in investigating brain and nervous system developmental disorders. He is fascinated by how small changes in the genome can affect large-scale behavior, and by the possibilities for novel therapeutic interventions.
Hometown: Cedar City, UT