Alexander Merriman

Alex was born and raised in Buffalo, NY and completed his undergraduate education at Duke University with majors in Chemistry and Biology. Throughout his undergraduate career, Alex was heavily involved in research studying novel genetic determinants critical to zebrafish regeneration. Additionally, Alex served in a number of tutoring, TA, and mentorship capacities. Following graduation, Alex moved to San Francisco to begin his MD/PhD at UCSF. His undergraduate research experiences served as an inspiration for pursuing a PhD in developmental and stem cell biology. He continues to be fascinated by the intricacies of developmental biology and the immense potential of harnessing these pathways as novel therapies to improve patients' lives. He is currently in the first year of his PhD, studying the molecular mechanisms of congenital heart disease. Outside of school, Alex enjoys cooking/ baking new recipes, enjoying the beautiful hiking trails in the greater Bay Area, working out, and (slowly) learning how to play tennis.