Lataisia Jones facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lataisia Jones
Lataisia Jones, June 5, 2020
Born	Suffolk, Virginia, U.S.
Alma mater	Virginia State University Florida State University (PhD)
Known for	First African American to graduate with a PhD from the Department of Biomedical Sciences in the College of Medicine at FSU
Awards	2019 AAAS IF/THEN Ambassador
Scientific career
Fields	Neuroscience
Institutions	NIH (NINDS)

Lataisia Jones is an American neuroscientist who works in Washington, D.C. at the National Institutes of Health. She was the first African American to earn a Ph.D. from the Department of Biomedical Sciences at Florida State University (FSU). Dr. Jones studies brain disorders using molecular and systems biology. She also helps and inspires young people, especially those from underrepresented groups, to explore careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

Early Life and Education

Lataisia Jones grew up in Suffolk, Virginia. She went to Nansemond River High School and later graduated from King's Fork High School in 2006. After high school, she attended Virginia State University (VSU). VSU is an HBCU, which is a special type of college that was created to serve African American students.

While at VSU, she did her first research project. She studied tiny worms called Caenorhabditis elegans at the College of William & Mary. Later, she earned her master's degree from VSU. For her master's project, she studied Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus in mice. She also taught biology classes to college students.

Towards the end of her master's program, Dr. Jones traveled to Ghana. This is where her mother's family came from. She taught English, math, and science to young students there. Seeing how excited the kids were to learn inspired her to get her Ph.D. She wanted to keep teaching and help students have chances to study abroad.

Earning Her Ph.D.

Dr. Jones then went to Florida State University to get her doctoral degree. She made history by becoming the first African American to earn a Ph.D. from the Department of Biomedical Sciences at FSU. She was also the first person in her family to earn a Ph.D.

For her doctoral research, Dr. Jones studied a brain disorder called DOPA Responsive Dystonia (DRD). This disorder causes muscles to move without a person wanting them to. Her research helped scientists understand how a small change in a gene can lead to this condition. She even helped create a way to detect this change, which can improve how doctors diagnose the disorder.

Career and Brain Research

After earning her Ph.D., Dr. Jones worked at Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C. She studied how children's brains develop. Her main focus was the corpus callosum, which is like a bridge that connects the two halves of the brain. This bridge helps the left and right sides of the brain talk to each other.

Dr. Jones used a special tool called Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP). She would inject GFP into brain cells and then watch how it glowed. This helped her see how brain cells communicate. Her goal was to find ways to help children who have seizures, learning difficulties, or autism. She wanted to understand how the brain works to find new treatments.

Inspiring Future Scientists

Dr. Jones was chosen as an IF/THEN Ambassador by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). This is a big honor! In this role, she helps inspire young girls and women to pursue careers in STEM fields. She wants to continue to mentor students and create opportunities for them to study science in other countries. She is also an Ethics Fellow at the American Society for Microbiology.

Helping Others Through Advocacy

Dr. Jones has always loved teaching and mentoring. She was a teaching assistant in college and taught biology classes. As a graduate student, she taught young students in Ghana and in Tallahassee, Florida. She worked with the Young Carver STEM Academy to help kids from underrepresented groups learn science.

She also volunteered with the Girls 2 Divas Mentoring Program. She spent time helping out at the Ronald McDonald House in Washington, D.C., which helps families with sick children. Dr. Jones even started her own program called "Young Scientist Wednesdays." Through this program, she teaches science to patients at Children's National Hospital using fun, hands-on activities. She also shares science lessons on her YouTube channel, "Hey Dr. Tay."

In January 2020, Dr. Jones appeared on the CBS TV show "Mission Unstoppable." This show highlights amazing women in STEM fields. Dr. Jones is passionate about being a role model for young girls, especially those from minority groups. She believes it's important for kids to see mentors who look like them and have similar experiences.

Awards and Honors

• Center for Research, Education, and Training Enhancement Award (2016)
• Graduate Student Leadership Award (2016)
• Life Science's Symposium People's Choice Poster Award (2016)
• FSU Academic Leadership Award (2017)
• AAAS IF/THEN Ambassador (2019)