Basma Yacoubi

PostDoc
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

Dr. Yacoubi is a PostDoc fellow in department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology at University of Florida. She obtained my Ph.D. degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the University of Florida under the mentorship of Professor Gabriel, a recognized expert in genetics. Following Ph.D., she received postdoctoral training in Genetics and Bioinformatics from Professor de Crécy-Lagard at the University of Florida, an internationally recognized expert in genetics and comparative genomics. During that time, she conducted experiments using mutants in various biological systems and became an expert at linking phenotype and gene function. Her work led to the characterization of genes of unknown function and the discovery of missing genes with across kingdom relevance and importance in the fields of antimicrobials and human disease.
In 2015, she joined the laboratory of Professor Christou as a research associate with the goal of transferring from basic functional genomics/genetics training to human diseases. She had the opportunity to begin working on various basic aspects of motor control in both healthy and disease populations. Importantly, she have gained expertise working with Spinocerebellar ataxia type 6 (SCA6), which affects human motor function as a result of progressive pan-cerebellar degeneration. Therefore, the unique combination of my training in genetics and motor neuroscience will allow her to contribute uniquely to the understanding of Essential tremor. Indeed, while a cerebello-thalamo-cortical model has been postulated and possible candidate genes proposed, the disease mechanisms remain elusive.