Jillian Belgrad is a sixth-year MD/PhD student in the RNA Therapeutics Institute at UMass Chan Medical School. Before joining UMass Chan, Jillian graduated from Colgate University with a major in cellular neuroscience where she studied glial cell neurobiology. After Colgate, she spent two years continuing her research in glial cell neurobiology at the NIH’s National Institute of Child Health and Human Development as a post-baccalaureate fellow. At UMass and in the Khvorova lab, Jillian explores fully chemically modified siRNAs in the CNS for multiple neurological conditions. Jillian main interest is investigating how siRNAs targeting the mismatch repair pathway can be used as therapeutics for Huntington’s disease (HD). Outside of lab, Jillian is involved in multiple student leadership roles on campus including the MD/PhD student council and UMass Chan School of Medicine curriculum committees. Outside of UMass Chan, Jillian is a trainee representative on the OTS Board of Directors and a member of the operations and Annual Meeting teams at the N-of-1 Collaborative. Through her work at UMass Chan, OTS, N1C, and beyond Jillian aims to develop oligonucleotide therapeutics for rare and ultra-rare genetic conditions. After graduation, she plans to continue her career in academic medicine working with patients and families with developmental and neurological genetic conditions and understanding nucleic acid-based therapeutics for the CNS.