Strategic R&D Consultant
Tierney successfully defended her PhD thesis in the Cell and Developmental Biology program at Vanderbilt University in 2024. For most of the last decade Tierney has been committed to bettering understanding of neurodevelopmental disorders. Originally from California, Tierney worked at UCSF as part of the Psychiatric Cell Mapping Initiative (PCMI) studying biological mechanisms of autism spectrum and Tourette’s disorder. This work inspired her to pursue her doctorate, where she continues to research rare neurodevelopmental disorders under the mentorship of Dr. Vivian Gama. Her dissertation is focused on mitochondrial encephalopathies, particularly those caused by mutations in mitochondrial dynamics genes such as DNM1L. Tierney is exploring opportunities in the rare disease space which led her interest in OCNDS and involvement with the CSNK2A1 Foundation. Formerly an intern, Tierney was hired as a Strategic R&D consultant with the foundation to help accelerate our science programs.