Alex Boucher Joins the Lab as a Graduate Student

Alex Boucher joined the lab as a second-year PhD student in the Program of Molecular Medicine at UMass Chan. PhD candidate.  Originally from Brockton, MA, he earned his undergraduate degree at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI).  

His research journey began in high school, thanks to the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center Apprenticeship program. That early exposure to lab work ignited Alex’s interest in biology, which he pursued at WPI where he worked in a genetics and structural biology lab focused on studying human epidermal growth factor receptor signaling.

Upon starting at UMass Chan, he rotated in the Guertin lab, working on projects related to mTORC1 signaling, particularly investigating its nutrient-sensing mechanisms and how specific proteins influence downstream effects in this pathway.  He found the research exciting and the environment supportive and decided to join the lab officially.

His research focuses on Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD), a condition affecting approximately 1 in 1,000 people. Alex aims to leverage his computational background to integrate cutting-edge transcriptomic analysis techniques, helping to uncover the genetic regulation and mechanisms that drive ADPKD pathologies.