By Emma Wabel
We are proud to feature Keystone Symposia Fellow Alex Chaim, PhD, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology at the University of California, San Diego. Chaim studies how RNA damage drives the onset, progression, and treatment response of neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, and aging.
Dr. Chaim’s path to science began at home, inspired by his father, a brewmaster and nature enthusiast, who encouraged and nurtured Chaim's own curiosity for science and the physical world. Learning the mechanics of fermentation, biology and genetics early on, Alex knew by the 9th grade that he wanted to earn a PhD and become a scientist. That early ambition led Chaim to a question he has had since graduate school: why do some people develop cancer and degenerative disease while others stay healthy? Pursuing that question, he observed something the field had largely overlooked.
For decades, biomedical research on aging and neurodegenerative disease has centered on two primary culprits: DNA damage and toxic protein aggregation. But Chaim is shifting the spotlight to an overlooked cellular component: RNA. More than 20 years ago, researchers noticed increased RNA oxidization in patients long before symptoms of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, or ALS appeared—a compelling hint that RNA damage might be an early driver of neurodegeneration, rather than just a downstream casualty. But without the proper tools to study it, the lead went cold for two decades.
Chaim’s lab is building the missing toolkit from scratch. His lab is creating single-nucleotide-resolution maps of RNA damage and building neuronal models to explore whether protecting or modifying RNA could halt disease before it starts.
"RNA damage biology today feels like where DNA repair was in the 1990s, right before it transformed how we treat cancer.”
Establishing a brand-new field can often feel like working in isolation. For Dr. Chaim, participating in the Keystone Symposia Fellows Program provided both a vital sense of belonging and an insider’s view into global scientific leadership. As a Venezuelan-born scientist and immigrant, the Fellows Program has helped affirm that Chaim’s perspective and voice belong in high-level leadership conversations.
A pivotal moment came during his first Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) meeting:
"Attending the Scientific Advisory Board meeting gave me a behind-the-scenes understanding of how entire fields establish their directions—a perspective I now bring into my own research and career strategy.”
Sitting alongside top international scientists to review and shape upcoming conference programs demystified how global scientific priorities are set. That insider perspective, paired with the fellowship’s cohort of early-career PIs navigating similar leadership and funding challenges, gave Chaim both a model for scientific leadership and a peer community navigating the same frontiers.
Beyond his laboratory, mentorship is central to Chaim. Recognizing that Spanish-speaking researchers rarely have designated spaces to present their work in their native language and driven by a mission to foster belonging, Chaim co-founded Community and Science Advancements in Spanish (CaSAS) at UCSD.
CaSAS is a unique seminar series where Spanish-speaking researchers present their scientific work in their native language. Each session deliberately pairs a trainee with a senior investigator, sharing the same platform to build visibility and community. The program embodies Chaim’s commitment to creating inclusive research environments where diverse voices are centered.
The Chaim Lab continues to gain momentum with significant research support and accolades:
CIRM DISC 4 Grant: Chaim is co-leading a major multi-lab investigation, funded by a $13 million CIRM award, to uncover the role of "RNA pollution" and damaged transcripts in neurodegenerative conditions.
With these milestones underway, Chaim continues to widen his network, build inclusive research environments, and chart pathways through biology's newest frontiers.