Rate My Professor Kaylene Young

Professor Kaylene Young is a Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Tasmania, based at the Menzies Institute for Medical Research. She earned her Bachelor of Science with honours from Monash University and completed her PhD at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research. Her career includes postdoctoral positions at the Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland (2003-2004), and the Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College London (2004-2010). Since 2011, she has served as Research Group Leader at Menzies, where she also holds positions as Multiple Sclerosis Australia Senior Research Fellow, Theme Leader for Brain Health and Disease Research, and Head of Preclinical Research for the University of Tasmania’s MS Research Flagship. Professor Young supervises postgraduate students and contributes to teaching at the institution.

Her research program investigates glial biology, focusing on oligodendrocyte progenitor cells, oligodendrogenesis, myelination, remyelination, synaptic plasticity, and their roles in demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis, neurodegeneration, and brain repair. Key studies explore how genetics influence blood vessel cells in MS, using stem cell-derived pericytes and endothelial cells to identify therapeutic targets for improving blood flow, reducing inflammation, and supporting remyelination. Notable publications include 'Oligodendrogenesis and myelination regulate cortical development, plasticity and circuit function' (2021), 'Periaxonal and nodal plasticities modulate action potential conduction in the adult mouse brain' (2021), 'Kif3a deletion prevents primary cilia assembly on oligodendrocyte progenitor cells, reduces oligodendrogenesis and impairs fine motor function' (2020), 'Cell cycle dynamics of NG2 cells in the postnatal and ageing brain' (2009, cited 328 times), and 'NG2-glia as multipotent neural stem cells: Fact or fantasy?' (2011, cited 371 times). Professor Young has received awards including the 2014 Metcalf Prize from the National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia and selection as a mentee in the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences Mentorship Program. Her work has secured significant funding, such as contributions to a $10 million MS research legacy and a $397,626 grant for MS studies, with leadership in initiatives like a proposed $3 million Centre of Research Excellence for MS.