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Emily Jane Dennis

[email protected]

EDUCATION 2011- 2018 The , NY Ph.D. Neurosciences and Behavior

June-July 2012 Neural Systems and Behavior Marine Biological Laboratory. Woods Hole, MA Student

2007-2011 Rochester, NY B.S. Molecular Genetics and B.A. Studio Arts

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE June 2018-present Postdoctoral Fellow, Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Dr. Carlos Brody’s Laboratory for Quantitative and Computational Systems Neuroscience Postdoctoral work focuses on perceptual decision making and working memory though a comparative lens using high-throughput behavior, electrophysiology, imaging, and optogenetic perturbations in rodent brains.

November 2011-May 2018 Graduate Fellow, The Rockefeller University Dr. Leslie Vosshall’s Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior Thesis work studied DEET contact chemo-repellency in Ae. aegypti mosquitoes and the influence of DEET on chemotaxis behavior in the nematode, C. elegans.

September 2011-November 2011 Rotation Student, The Rockefeller University Dr. Daniel Mucida’s Laboratory of Mucosal Immunology Cloned several potentially involved in fate-specification in T-cells.

August 2009-May 2011 Research Assistant, University of Rochester Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dr. Baek Kim’s laboratory Independent study investigating the activation of Akt, changes in energy regulation, and cytoprotective effects of HIV-1 on infected macrophages.

June 2010-August 2010 Summer Undergraduate Research Program Student, Gerstner Sloan-Kettering Computational Developmental , Dr. Zhirong Bao’s laboratory Completed an RNAi screen in C. elegans to identify potential genes involved in intestinal development and early embryo cell fate. Used 3D, time-lapse imaging and computational tools to further investigate one , zyg-11, and its effects.

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June 2009-August 2009 Summer Undergraduate Research Program Student, Center for Medicine and Molecular Genetics, Dr. Maik Huttemann’s laboratory Developed a high-throughput assay to determine mitochondrial membrane potential and an siRNA screen to identify kinases and phosphatases involved in cAMP-dependent phosphorylation of cytochrome c oxidase.

September 2008- May 2009 Research Assistant, University of Rochester Biology Department, Dr. Jack Werren’s laboratory Volunteered, then began an Independent study investigating hybrid incompatibilities between two closely related species of Nasonia, a parasitoid wasp. Introgressed the two species and selected for a gene encoding a mitochondrial ribosomal protein, MRP-901.

October 2007-December 2008 Laboratory Assistant, University of Rochester Microbiology Department, Dr. Michael Pichichero’s laboratory Worked 5-10 hours per week and maintained supply of buffers, clean glassware, and pipette tips. Additional duties included bacterial culture and organizing incoming samples.

PUBLICATIONS 2019 Dennis EJ Goldman O, and Vosshall, LB, Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes Use Their Legs to Sense DEET on Contact. Current Biology (2019), doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2019.04.004 Previous version available at https://www.biorxiv.org/content/early/2018/07/01/360222

2018 Dennis EJ, Dobosiewicz M, Jin X, Duvall LB, Hartman PS, Bargmann CI, and Vosshall LB. A natural variant and engineered mutation in a GPCR promote DEET resistance in C. elegans (2018) 562, 119-123. Previous versions available at https://www.biorxiv.org/content/early/2017/10/05/198705

2013 DeGennaro M, McBride CS, Seeholzer L, Nakagawa T, Dennis EJ, Goldman C, Jasinskiene N, James AA, and Vosshall LB. orco mutant mosquitoes lose strong preference for humans and are not repelled by volatile DEET. Nature (2013) 498(7455) 487-91.

POSTERS AND TALKS 2018 Emily Jane Dennis, Xin Jin, May Dobosiewicz, Laura Duvall, Cornelia I Bargmann, and Leslie B. Vosshall. “A single sensory neuron senses DEET and increases pausing to alter C. elegans chemotaxis to specific odors.” Junior Scientist Workshop on Mechanistic Cognitive Neuroscience. Ashburn, VA.

2017 Emily Jane Dennis, Xin Jin, May Dobosiewicz, Laura Duvall, Cornelia I Bargmann, and Leslie B. Vosshall. “A single sensory neuron senses DEET and increases pausing to alter C. elegans chemotaxis to specific odors.” Sense2Synapse, , NY.

2 Emily Jane Dennis 2014 Emily Jane Dennis and Leslie Vosshall. “Mechanisms of contact DEET repellency” HHMI Science Meeting. Chevy Chase, MD.

2013 Emily Jane Dennis and Leslie Vosshall. “The genetics of DEET repellency in the mosquito, Aedes aegypti.” The Rockefeller University Student Retreat

2013 Emily Jane Dennis and Leslie Vosshall “Multimodal DEET repellency in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes” The Rockefeller University Student and Postdoc Lecture Series. Rockefeller University, New York, NY.

2013 Emily Jane Dennis and Leslie Vosshall “Mechanisms of DEET contact chemorepellency in the mosquito, Aedes aegypti” Gordon Research Conference on Neuroethology.

2012 Ben Matthews, Emily Jane Dennis, Carolyn McBride, and Leslie Vosshall. “Oviposition behavior and preference in the mosquito, Aedes aegypti.” International Symposium on Olfaction and Taste

2010 Emily Jane Grzybowski, Joseph Hollenbaugh, and Baek Kim. “Investigating Energy Regulation of HIV-1 Infected Human Macrophages.” National Conference of Undergraduate Research

2010 Emily Jane Grzybowski, Joseph Hollenbaugh, and Baek Kim. “Investigating Energy Regulation of HIV-1 Infected Human Macrophages.” University of Rochester Undergraduate Research Exposition

FELLOWSHIPS AND AWARDS 2019-2021 Howard Hughes Medical Institute Fellow of The Helen Hay Whitney Foundation 2019 Hanna H. Gray Fellows Program Semifinalist 2014-2017 NIH F31 Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA Individual Fellowship 2013 Best Student Poster Award, Gordon Research Conference Neuroethology 2012 Arthur Klorfein Scholarship, Marine Biological Laboratory 2012 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Honorable Mention 2011 Women and Science Graduate Fellowship, The Rockefeller University 2010 AIDS Vaccine 2010 Undergraduate Senior Scholar 2010 Gerstner Sloan-Kettering SURP Rubin and Sarah Shaps Scholar 2007-2011 University of Rochester Renaissance Scholar (full-tuition scholarship)

TEACHING AND MENTORING EXPERIENCE 2019 Princeton Prison Teaching Initiative Tutor for STEM courses at Federal Correctional Institution, Fort Dix 2017 Women in Science Mentor Peer mentor to a graduate student, 2 hours monthly. 2015 R Statistics Instructor Designed R problem sets for an introductory statistics course for Rockefeller graduate students. 2014 Summer Undergraduate Research Program Mentor Research mentor to an undergraduate for three months, full-time. 2014 Rotation Advisor Research mentor to a rotation student for 4 months. 2013, 2016 Summer Science Research Program Mentor Mentor to a high school student for two months, full-time.

3 Emily Jane Dennis 2013-2014 Rockefeller Summer Neuroscience Program Mentor Mentor to two high school students for a week each summer as they design, execute, and present a project studying cockroach neurons. 2010 Biology Tutor at the University of Rochester Individual, one to three-hour tutoring sessions, as-needed. 2010 Teaching Assistant for Biology of Aging, University of Rochester Graded exams, led weekly reviews of class material, and led exam preparatory sessions.

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AND OUTREACH 2019 Committee member Princeton Neuroscience Seminar Series Committee 2018 Reviewer Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases 2018 Reviewer Science Advances 2016-2017 Women in Science at Rockefeller (WISeR) President Led the executive board of 5-7 people to plan and execute programming for over 240 Rockefeller trainees and manage a $7,500 budget for events. 2016 Diversity Panel Member A panel of four graduate students talked to primarily white women and minority group high school students about how to survive and thrive as an underrepresented person in science 2014-2015 Science Saturday Volunteer Designed a station for young people ages 6-16 to learn about mosquito biology, repellents, and science. 2015 ArtLab Invited Speaker Had a public conversation with an artist about the interplay between art and science and how we learn and understand the world. 2012 NYC Brain Awareness Week, Rockefeller Coordinator Recruited volunteers, designed a logo, and led the Rockefeller arm of volunteers for Brain Awareness Week in NYC. 2012 Neuroscience Outreach Volunteer Visitor to high school classrooms and provide a lecture and hands-on demonstrations. 2012 Incubator Editor Co-founded a Rockefeller University blog called the Incubator.

SELECTED RESEARCH FEATURES AND POPULAR PRESS “How Do Mosquitoes Taste DEET? Hint: It’s Not With Their Mouthparts” Lambert, J. April 25, 2019. NPR https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2019/04/25/716767256/how-do- mosquitoes-taste-deet-hint-its-not-their-mouthparts

“How mosquito repellents work” Mrasek, V. Quarks - Wissenschaft und mehr. WDR 5. Cologne, Germany. 26 Apr. 2019. https://www1.wdr.de/mediathek/audio/wdr5/quarks/index.html

“Reason for DEET’s success can be found in mosquito’s legs” Morgan, K. April 25, 2019, Cell Press. https://www.news-medical.net/news/20190425/Reason-for-DEETs-success-can-be- found-in-mosquitos-legs.aspx and https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-04/cp- wmm041819.php

“DEET Scrambles Worms’ Sense of Smell” Rosen, M. September 26, 2018, HHMI. https://www.hhmi.org/news/deet-scrambles-worms-sense-of-smell

“Scientists investigate how DEET confuses countless critters” September 26, 2018, Rockefeller University. https://www.rockefeller.edu/news/23808-scientists-investigate-deet-confuses- countless-critters/

4 Emily Jane Dennis “Mosquito Researcher Offers Her Own Arm To Hungry Mosquitoes” Goldman, JC. May 2014, Gizmodo, i09. https://gizmodo.com/mosquito-researcher-offers-her-own-arm-to-hungry-mosqui- 1578615398

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