Dana Foundation Neurotech Justice Fellow

Javier R. Mesa is the Dana Foundation Neurotech Justice Fellow at the Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology, and Bioethics at Harvard Law School. He is also a Research Fellow at the Neurotech Justice Accelerator at Mass General Brigham. Javier is interested in several aspects of neurolaw (the intersections between law and neuroscience), including substance use policy, the ethical and legal implications of emerging neurotechnologies, and juvenile and young adult justice.   
  
Javier obtained his J.D. from the Florida State University College of Law. He previously worked as an Assistant Public Defender in Tampa, Florida, where he represented hundreds of clients, including juveniles, the civilly committed, and persons with substance use disorders in criminal law matters. He also has experience in insurance law, representing both carriers and the insured.  

Javier completed his Ph.D. in Psychology (Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience) from the University of Florida. His research analyzed the neuroplastic changes specific to cocaine and alcohol polysubstance use in a rodent model of cocaine relapse. His work was supported, in part, by a Graduate School Fellowship and a NIDA Diversity Supplement training award. While in graduate school, he also served as a 2023 Early Career Policy Ambassador for the Society for Neuroscience and represented thousands of peers as Chief Bargainer and Grievance Co-Chair for the UF Graduate Assistants United labor union.