Forrest Weghorst

Forrest Weghorst is an experienced scientist with a strong background in molecular biology and neuroscience. At AbbVie, as a Senior Scientist I and Postdoctoral Fellow, key contributions included the application of single-nucleus and spatial omics to uncover genes related to retinal diseases and the development of a rat model for progressive retinal degeneration. As an Undergraduate Researcher at the University of Notre Dame, Forrest investigated axonal degeneration and regeneration mechanisms in fruit flies, presenting findings at notable conferences. During a tenure as a Graduate Student Researcher at UC Irvine, significant research focused on the non-lethal functions of cell death proteins in the developing auditory brainstem and the bioinformatic analysis of proteomic data, with presentations at various scientific meetings. Forrest's educational background includes a Bachelor of Science from the University of Notre Dame and a Doctor of Philosophy from UC Irvine, emphasizing expertise in molecular evolution and long non-coding RNAs through postdoctoral research.