Benjamin Packer

Benjamin Packer is a postbaccalaureate Intramural Research Training Award (IRTA) fellow in NIH’s National Institute on Aging (NIA), where he works with cell colonies to understand the role of mRNA transport and local translation in neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Benjamin received his B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, during which he studied the effects of high alcohol intake and stress on a part of the brain called the locus coeruleus. He enjoys writing about the work produced by NIH’s Center for Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias (CARD) and creating videos to help showcase the many different opportunities in science. Outside of the lab, Ben can be found running, intensely practicing piano, or at one of the Smithsonian Museums in the heart of Washington DC.