Meet the Lab

Lab Members

Dr. Jonathan Flint

PI

Jonathan Flint is a British behavior geneticist and Professor in Residence in the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. He is also a senior scientist in the Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics at UCLA’s Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior.

Jonathan Flint fundamentally advanced understanding of the genetic basis of behaviour, thereby determining the direction of research in psychiatric genetics.

  1. He developed the first genome wide association strategy that...
Dr. Patrick Chen

Adjunct Assistant Professor

Patrick joined Dr. Flint's lab in 2019 to gain experience in more translationally focused research areas. Previously, he completed his PhD in Dr. Kelsey Martin's lab at UCLA and also a postdoc in Dr. Weizhe Hong's lab. He is interested in understanding 1) how genetic variation relates to epigenetic and molecular features in the context of behavior, and 2) how genetic variation shapes neural circuit function and architecture in the brain to alter behavior. In his free time he likes to write, watch TV/movies, read, and complain about the American healthcare system.
Sky Andrews

SRAI

I graduated from the University of Washington in 2024 with degrees in psychology and neuroscience. During undergrad, I studied the role of the lateral habenula in complex decision making. Today, I’m gaining experience with optogenetics and genetic mapping as I investigate the genetic correlates of behavior. In my free time I like to read, hike, and cook.
Dr. Anna-Sophia Hartke

Postdoc Researcher

After completing her PhD in Neuroscience in the Richter lab at the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Germany, Anna-Sophia joined the Flint lab in 2025. Switching from the field of Parkinson’s Disease to the investigation of the relation between genetics and (anxiety) behavior, she is gaining experience in optogenetics and electro physiology. In her spare time, she likes to read, draw, and cuddle and play with (her) cats.

Alumni

Rachel Chen

Lab Manager, SRA

Rachel is the lab manager and SRA in Flint Lab. She has a master’s degree in animal physiology and many years of working experiences in the field of neuroscience. She is currently working on developing a pathway from genetic locus to gene project. On her spare time, she enjoys the great outdoors, traveling and dancing.
Anne Zhao

Anne is an undergraduate student majoring in Neuroscience and a researcher in the Flint lab. She joined the lab because of her interest in exploring the biological mechanisms that influence behavior. Currently, she is studying how genetic variation affects behavior. In her free time, Anne enjoys drawing, playing video games, and dancing.
Ariel Wang

Ariel, an undergraduate researcher majoring in Psychobiology with a minor in Brain and Behavioral Health and a specialization in Computing, is currently engaged in the Flint Lab's research on the neural circuits underlying anxiety and aggression. Her academic focus aligns with her broader interests in mental disorders and her aspiration to pursue a career in psychiatry. Outside of her academic pursuits, Ariel enjoys dancing, playing badminton, and traveling.