Scientific program and abstract submissions 

With a scientific program like no other, the organizers are excited to see this year’s abstract submissions. Todd Nystul shared that for him, must-see sessions are always Stem Cells, Regeneration, and Tissue Injury and Reproduction and Gametogenesis, but this year, he’s really looking forward to Physiology, Metabolism, and Aging as well as Cell Division and Cell Growth. His lab is working on projects in these areas so he’s thrilled to get the chance to delve into the current state of science that he may not study in his day to day. “That is one of the great things about this meeting,” he stressed, “You can learn about the latest developments in your own field but there are also tons of opportunities to check out other areas you might not have thought much about before.” Meanwhile, Amanda Crocker approached her can’t-miss sessions list from a different but also important perspective, “As a faculty member at a small liberal arts institute, I am always interested in the education component and thinking about how to bring cutting-edge science to the classroom,” she said. Amanda explained that flies are a great model system for undergraduate students, and to keep them engaged, she looks forward to learning about new techniques, cool assays, or new flies for them to study. Michelle Bland is looking forward to Physiology, Metabolism, and Aging due to the increased sophistication of the use of Drosophila to study metabolism year after year and excited for Models of Human Disease as well as Techniques and Technology. Leila Rieder, a chromatin biologist, is a self-described “evolution fan,” so she’s looking forward to those talks—“Drosophila is so well suited for evolutionary studies for exactly the same reasons it’s well suited for all other fields,” she emphasized. See what we mean? This is definitely your go-to meeting for all things Drosophila! 

To make this scientific program as enriching as possible, the organizers are urging scientists of all career stages to submit abstracts in the many topic areas available. Todd sees it as a useful growing experience at any career stage. “There’s nothing like an upcoming presentation deadline to motivate you to organize your thoughts and data into the best story possible,” he remarked. He has some special advice for early career scientists though, “Getting exposure at a meeting like this is one of the most important things you can do as an early career scientist!” Amanda echoed the sentiment, “It’s a great time to network with more senior faculty—for grad students or postdocs, it’s a great way to highlight skills you might bring to the next step of your career.” And Todd shared several reasons why this is the case—first, you can get really insightful and constructive feedback on your work. He explained, “Drosophila scientists are generally very supportive of each other and get excited about good science. There’s a huge range of perspectives and levels of experience among attendees so, whether you’re looking for advice on the details of your next experiment or ways to frame the broader significance of your project, there’s a good chance you’ll get a lot of excellent feedback.” He added that getting the word out about your research results helps build excitement in the community and gives reviewers of your next grant or paper more context for your work, plus presenting your work is a great way to make new connections with scientists and broaden your professional network.

Todd mentioned it’s not uncommon for a presentation at the fly meeting to open doors for other professional opportunities, including invitations to meetings or to give a seminar, job offers, and others. Amanda explained the impact the meeting has had on her students, “There are activities and events where my students were able to network. They also felt very respected by the community when presenting.” She added that those experiences have helped her prioritize the conference when considering her own attendance as well as bringing her undergraduate students. Leila and Michelle commented on the benefits of early feedback for your research and urged scientists not to stress about having a publication-ready story. Leila mentioned many people are shy about presenting research before they have enough data, “when do we ever?” she quipped, “… or before they know the punchline. Sure, it’s so fun to be able to tell the whole story, but the GSA meetings more than any I’ve ever been to are opportunities to get expert help planning your experiments,” she explained, adding that “Everyone loves a good mystery, especially Drosophilists!” so you may get a rather unexpected “out-of-the-box” idea that takes your research to new heights. 

Collaboration and making connections 

Now, yes, learning about cutting-edge science across a range of fields and getting the word out about your work is very important for a researcher as are opportunities to advance the next stage of your career and improve your next paper or grant submission, but there are other benefits to attending a fly meeting—making lifelong connections. Todd highlighted opportunities to meet up with old friends and make new ones, and find your next mentor or trainee, sharing a story that exemplifies the importance of the human aspect of this conference. “About 15 years ago, I was at the meeting talking with several other young PIs I met there and we decided to go out to dinner together,” he recounted. The meeting was in Chicago so they followed a local who was also attending to an Italian restaurant she recommended. Some people in the group knew each other well but most had only just met or knew each other in passing. “But the dinner was magical,” Todd said. The group stayed at the restaurant chatting for hours about their science and the challenges of starting up a new lab and life in general, and most importantly, they stayed in touch after that. Now, the group continues the tradition of going out to dinner at the fly meeting every year and as the years pass, the group gets bigger and changes, “…but it has still retained the same spirit,” he stressed. “It is one of the highlights for me every year,” Todd shared, adding that this and similar experiences have created in him a strong loyalty toward the fly meeting, which led to his interest in becoming an organizer. “I want to carry on the tradition of showcasing excellent science and building community that has been such an integral part of this meeting for many years,” he stated. Leila’s fondest memory draws a parallel between her experience and her trainees’ – she shared that last year, she connected an acquaintance of an acquaintance with one of her lab trainees, both first gen and applying to graduate school. They ended up chatting for some time, creating a connection that made them feel less alone during the conference but also in the field. “I find this connection happens to me—and likely others—at almost every GSA conference I attend. The Drosophila field are my people,” she explained, adding that she sees deep consideration for mentoring and student wellbeing, which enriches the community and strengthens research.

It’s no surprise then that when asked what he’s most looking forward to this year, Todd responded “Do I have to pick just one?” explaining he loves this meeting for both the excellent science and the wonderful community. “I think this is the single best meeting for hearing about the latest developments in my field so I make sure not to miss any important talks. Additionally, I have made so many good friends there over the years, and I love that we have a chance to catch up with each other every year. Those annual reunions really help me stay grounded,” he explained. Michelle added, “This meeting has been my favorite science meeting since I started attending about two decades ago. The people, the science, and the ingenuity are unmatched.” And Leila shared, “I can’t wait to laugh with my colleagues and complain about grant reviewers—they’re the same people!” 

So, what are you waiting for? 

There’s still a chance to apply for travel funding through the Undergraduate Travel Awards, and to nominate someone for the Larry Sandler Award and the new Hugo Bellen and Catherine Tasnier Drosophila Neurogenetics Lecture (self-nominations welcome for the latter!). Make sure you register by the advance registration deadline of January 21 for discounted pricing. 

GSA and the Dros organizers can’t wait to see you in March in San Diego! 

There is no simple way to make a brain, even in a creature as small as a fruit fly. As an embryonic fly develops into adulthood, its central nervous system (CNS) expands almost 100-fold in mass. Neuronal, glial, immune, and vascular cells—in both the CNS and the peripheral nervous system (PNS)—must work in harmony to build the structures responsible for controlling movement and behavior. Since structure dictates function, the size and shape of the CNS must be tightly regulated, but the genes and pathways involved in the process have yet to be fully described.

In a recent study published in the September issue of G3: Genes|Genomes|Genetics, Lacin et al. use the power of forward genetics in Drosophila larvae to identify genes controlling nervous system shape. Using the robust genetic manipulation toolkit available in Drosophila, they further identify a glial subtype-specific molecular profile that functionally subdivides glia along the peripheral-central axis.

Their screen used the classic mutagenesis agent ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) to randomly introduce mutations, generating more than 12,000 mutant lines that carried mutations specifically on the second chromosome. The authors screened for larval mutants with dramatically altered CNS shapes, sorting them into three categories: widened, elongated, or misshapen. Through a combination of genetic mapping, complementation analysis, and whole genome sequencing, they identified 50 mutant alleles across 17 genes that encode transcription factors, enzymes, signaling receptors, tumor suppressors, and basement membrane proteins.

Four of the mutant alleles were found in the senseless-2 (sens-2) gene, which encodes a zinc-finger domain transcription factor; these alleles caused massive elongation of the ventral nerve cord (the Drosophila equivalent to the spinal cord) that manifested very early in the first-instar larvae (see Figure 1). To understand the cellular basis for the mutant sens-2 CNS elongation phenotype, the authors generated an antibody against the Sens-2 protein and found it localized to most glia on peripheral nerves—but not in any CNS glial cells.

To determine whether sens-2’s role in determining ventral nerve cord length was specific to its presence in peripheral glia, the authors selectively knocked down its expression in those cells using the Gal4-UAS system. They found that sens-2 expression in peripheral glia is necessary to control CNS structure, and loss in those cells accounted for the observed elongation phenotype. Restoration of sens-2 expression rescued the elongation phenotype.

Lacin et al. were able to establish sens-2 as a marker distinguishing specific glial subtypes along the CNS-PNS axis with a profound impact on gross nervous system structure. In the future, the authors aim to investigate transcriptional targets of sens-2, which could help illuminate mechanisms governing glial development and differentiation in the PNS.

In recent years, the use of expensive -omics technologies to discover cellular heterogeneity at scale has become quite popular in neuroscience research, and the genes identified in these studies need validation and characterization. Here, Lacin et al. present a powerful demonstration that classical genetic studies in invertebrate model systems are still effective at powering neurogenetics and cellular heterogeneity research—at a fraction of the cost.

We’ve all suffered a cut from a blade, some broken glass, or even a sheet of paper. The smallest of wounds can cause infections and become detrimental if they don’t heal, so luckily for most of us, our immune system steps in to do the job. Just as the immune system kicks off a cascade of events to heal a cut, an individual cell kicks off a cascade of signals to manage disruption to its cell membrane. However, the molecular mechanisms that underlie cellular wound healing are quite complex, and we don’t have a complete picture of the phenomenon. In a recent study published in the August issue of GENETICS, Mitsutoshi Nakamura and Susan M. Parkhurst flesh out additional details of the process.

In eukaryotic cells, a structural protein called actin forms the cytoskeleton that underlies the cell membrane. When the cell cortex (cytoskeleton and membrane) is wounded, vesicles are recruited to temporarily plug the opening, and a ring of actin filaments and myosin fibers assembles around the site to rapidly close the wound. After the wound closes, the patch job is removed, and the cytoskeleton and cell membrane are remodeled to their normal states. Actin remodeling requires the activity of the Rho family of small guanosine triphosphatases (GTPases), including the guanine nucleotide exchange factors RhoGEF2 and RhoGEF3.

One of the earliest events after a cell is wounded is a swift influx of calcium from the extracellular space into the cell. The uniform inflow of calcium across the wound site recruits specific factors to precise locations—but how this occurs is still an open question. We do know, however, that a group of proteins called annexins bind specific phospholipids in a calcium-dependent manner and play a conserved role in wound healing. The authors previously showed that annexin AnxB9 is rapidly recruited to wounds and plays a vital role in actin stabilization in the Drosophila cell wound model by recruiting RhoGEF2 to the site. Interestingly, they found that AnxB9 is not required for RhoGEF3 recruitment.

In the current study, Nakamura and Parkhurst show that two additional Drosophila annexins, AnxB10 and AnxB11, are also rapidly recruited to distinct sites around the wound within seconds of injury and that they, in turn, recruit RhoGEF2 and RhoGEF3. The three annexins at the center of their work must find their way to specific locations, and they have non-redundant functions in stabilizing the formation of the actomyosin ring around the wound, which sets the stage for RhoGTPase-mediated repair. The authors show that, while the repair process can begin under reduced-calcium conditions, it is inefficient and ultimately unsuccessful.

Calcium signals are widely known as a second messenger and are crucial for many processes. In addition to its impacts on wound healing, an imbalance in calcium homeostasis is found in cancer, muscular dystrophy, and diabetes. Understanding the dynamics of calcium-mediated annexin recruitment may inform the development of therapeutic strategies to enhance cellular repair mechanisms. For instance, targeting annexin functions or modulating calcium signaling pathways could offer new avenues for treating injuries and diseases characterized by impaired wound repair. Continued research in this area promises to unveil further nuances of this vital cellular process—with potential applications in regenerative medicine and beyond.

We’re taking time to get to know the members of the GSA’s Early Career Scientist Committees. Join us to learn more about our early career scientist advocates.

Rupinder Kaur
Career Development Subcommittee
Pennsylvania State University

Research Interest

I am a cell and molecular biologist interested in exploring host-symbiont interactions with relevance to human health outcomes. Mosquito-borne diseases, especially dengue, have become an emerging global threat to mankind. The existing vector control strategies—such as diminishing mosquito breeding sites, insecticide use, chemical spraying, and personal protective measures—have been found ineffective and do not confer long-term protection. Moreover, risks surrounding climate change have created an urgency for alternative vector control strategies. The prospect of using symbiotic microorganisms to save millions of lives with positive human health outcomes is highly promising. The bacterium Wolbachia is a prime example, which is human- and environment-friendly and can play a significant role in controlling dengue and other mosquito-borne viruses on the ground. Wolbachia expresses two key traits in these control strategies: virus-blocking, in which Wolbachia reduces virus replication in the salivary glands of virus-transmitting mosquito females, and reproductive manipulation called cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI), during which embryos die when Wolbachia-infected males mate with uninfected females, thus crashing the mosquito population.

In my research, I’m digging deeper into the mechanism of CI to better grasp how Wolbachia bacteria influence the genes and pathways governing insect reproduction. Using Drosophila melanogaster and Aedes aegypti carrying Wolbachia, I identified that CI-causing genes disrupt an evolutionary-conserved process of histone-to-protamine transition during sperm development. This transition is crucial for maintaining male fertility. When embryos are fertilized by these abnormally developed sperm, their nuclei fail to divide properly and embryos ultimately die. I am further keen on understanding the intricacies of the flip side of CI, known as “rescue,” where female insects infected with Wolbachia can prevent embryonic death. My goal is to enhance methods utilizing these bacteria to control mosquito populations, thereby making them even more effective and sustainable in the fight against diseases.

As a PhD-trained scientist, you have many career options. What interests you the most?

As someone who loves diving into the unknown to uncover new things, I find being a scientist incredibly rewarding. I enjoy brainstorming new ideas, formulating hypotheses, and troubleshooting experiments to bring them to life. Even though science can be tough and challenging at times, those moments when everything clicks and years of hard work culminate in a breakthrough are truly amazing. Each discovery feels like finding a missing piece of a puzzle. At that point, more than just a career option, it becomes a passion that keeps me curious and eager to share what I learn with others in the scientific community.

Moreover, I recently explored the intricacies of grant writing, a crucial skill for securing essential research funding. I learned that grant writing is not just about acquiring resources; it’s about articulating the potential impact of my work on the scientific community and society at large. I acquired the skill of translating my scientific vision into actionable proposals, ensuring that the future research direction is not only intellectually stimulating but also socially relevant. It bridges the gap between innovative ideas and transformative research outcomes, reinforcing my commitment to making a meaningful difference in the world of science.

In addition to your research, how do you want to advance the scientific enterprise?

Science advances significantly when diverse fields intersect, sparking new and creative ideas. In addition to my research pursuits, my vision for advancing the scientific enterprise is firmly grounded in the principles of collaboration, outreach, and mentorship. I work towards creating an environment where scientists from different backgrounds can come together to create ideas that address scientific challenges. I have shared my research through seminar presentations with several universities, companies, and scientific organizations in the United States. By facilitating dialogue and knowledge exchange, I assisted them in developing specific assays tailored to their research programs.

I am actively engaged in initiatives that expand the horizons of STEM education and promote inclusivity within the scientific community. For instance, as a judge in the ENVISION research competition, I play a pivotal role in evaluating the innovative project proposals generated by women and genderqueer high school students. I provide valuable feedback and recognition, foster their passion for scientific inquiry, and encourage them to pursue careers in STEM fields. Furthermore, I participate in mentoring initiatives aimed at bridging the opportunity gap for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Volunteering my time and expertise, I create research opportunities for these aspiring scientists by guiding them through the research process, helping them understand scientific articles, and assisting with formulating hypotheses for scientific experiments. I not only provide essential scientific guidance but also instill confidence and inspire a greater sense of possibility. By empowering young minds, recognizing and nurturing their talent, dismantling barriers, and fostering inclusivity, I am dedicated to creating a scientific community that reflects the diversity and potential of our world.

As a leader within the Genetics Society of America, what do you hope to accomplish?

As a member of GSA’s Early Career Leadership Program, I am committed to advancing the career growth of fellow GSA members. One of my primary objectives within this role is to establish a robust mentorship network. I aim to provide guidance, insight, and support by connecting early-career scientists with experienced mentors in their respective fields. By organizing symposiums, networking events, panel discussions, and virtual forums at conferences, I aim to facilitate interdisciplinary collaborations and encourage sharing of ideas and expertise to open doors to new opportunities. This collaborative environment will not only enrich the scientific discourse within GSA but also expose early-career scientists to diverse research areas, promoting a spirit of curiosity and innovation.

Further, I intend to organize targeted professional development workshops and training sessions. These sessions will cover a wide array of topics, including grant writing, science communication, leadership skills, and work-life balance. By providing access to these resources, I hope to equip early-career scientists with the skills and knowledge necessary for a successful and fulfilling career in genetics. Last, in line with my commitment to diversity and inclusivity, I will advocate for programs that specifically support underrepresented individuals within the GSA community. I aim to level the playing field and ensure that everyone, regardless of their background, has equal access to resources and opportunities for career growth. Through these initiatives, I hope to empower the next generation of geneticists, leaving a lasting legacy of mentorship, support, and inclusivity.

Previous leadership experience

1. Editorial Board Member, mSystems, American Society for Microbiology (2024-2027)
2. Early-career editorial board member, mBio, American Society for Microbiology (ASM) (2024-present)
3. Panelist in the Science Communication panel, How to have an accessible conference experience, The Allied Genetics Conference (2024)
4. Judge, Poster session at the One Health Microbiome Symposium, Penn State University, PA (2024)
5. Judge, Poster session at the Undergraduate Exhibition, Penn State University, PA (2024)
6. Elected member in ASM’s Future Leaders Mentoring Fellowship program (2023-present)
7. Member, Early Career Leadership Program, Genetics Society of America (2023-present)
8. Judge, ENVISION research competition for high school girls and genderqueer students (2022-present)
9. Mentor, Summer research program by Talaria Summer Institute, founded by the nonprofit organization ATHENA (2022-present)
10. Organized and moderated the virtual Career Exploration panel, the 64th Annual Drosophila Research Conference (2023)
11. Mentor to undergraduate and graduate students, technicians, and research staff in the lab
12. Active volunteer for national/international virtual and in-person science outreach programs

You can contact Rupinder via email at r.kaur at psu.edu, on Twitter, and on LinkedIn.

Amy MacQueen
Senior Editor, Genome Integrity and Transmission

Amy MacQueen has a long-standing interest in the molecular mechanisms that facilitate the unique chromosome dynamics of meiosis. After substantial training in classical genetic and cytological approaches in Drosophila as an undergraduate in Dr. Tulle Hazelrigg’s lab at Columbia University, she turned to C. elegans for her PhD research. Working in Dr. Anne Villeneuve’s lab at Stanford University, Amy credits an elegant forward genetics screen developed by Anne, tremendous cytology offered by the worm germline, and brilliant colleagues in the Villeneuve lab with helping her identify several key trans-acting factors required for homologous chromosome pairing in C. elegans meiocytes. Her thesis research also identified a critical role for cis-acting chromosome domains in coordinating a mechanism of pairing establishment with one that fortifies and maintains homolog alignment—the latter involving assembly of an elaborate, meiosis-specific chromosome structure called the synaptonemal complex (SC). As a Helen Hay Whitney post-doctoral fellow in Dr. Shirleen Roeder’s lab at Yale University, MacQueen discovered cellular pathways in S. cerevisiae meiotic cells that ensure SC assembly is prevented until earlier chromosome pairing events have successfully occurred. MacQueen joined Wesleyan University’s Molecular Biology and Biochemistry Department in 2009, initially funded by an NIH Pathway to Independence Award. Her lab uses powerful molecular genetic, biochemical, and cytological approaches in conjunction with high- and super-resolution microscopy to study the molecular architecture and dynamic properties of budding yeast SC, as well as the functional and spatial relationship(s) between SC structure and meiotic recombination machinery.

Why Publish in GENETICS?

Erica Larschan
Associate Editor, Experimental Technologies and Resources

In Larschan’s lab, they are deciphering mechanisms of coordinate gene regulation which is a fundamental process essential to all cells from the germ line to the immune system to neurons. Their long-term goal is to define how genes are identified for coordinate regulation, the key initial step in their regulation. Dosage compensation is one of the best model systems for studying this process because all of the genes on a single chromosome are specifically identified and co-regulated. Drosophila, like mammals, increase the transcript levels of a large number of diversely-regulated genes along the length of the single male X-chromosome precisely two-fold relative to each female X-chromosome. They are also very interested in how transcription is linked to splicing and how these processes are coordinated across developmental time.

Why Publish in GENETICS?

Elizabeth R. Everman, PhD
Assistant Professor, University of Oklahoma

As a young scientist carrying out her first independent research project, Elizabeth Everman discovered the empowering feeling of becoming a subject expert, as well as the addictive pull of solving real-world scientific mysteries. Now an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Oklahoma, Everman leads a research program that uses a combination of quantitative and evolutionary genetics approaches to study heavy metal stress resistance.

Dr. Everman has published much of her research around copper resistance and toxicity in Drosophila melanogaster in GENETICS and G3: Genes|Genomes|Genetics, and we spoke with her about her career and research.

How did you become interested in science?

As an undergraduate, I had the opportunity to develop and carry out an independent research project. My project examined invasion patterns of an invasive frog species on Hawai’i Island and was my first exposure to the fields of molecular and population genetics. My mentor at the time wasn’t a geneticist, so working on this project meant that I needed to find my own opportunities to learn and use molecular techniques, as well as conduct the analysis. It was the first time I realized I could become an “expert” on something, and that feeling of learning something new on my own that I could use to solve a real-life biological mystery was addictive and empowering.

What is your current specialty? What do you like most about it?

Toady, I study the genetic, physiological, and behavioral responses to heavy metal stress using a combination of population, quantitative, and evolutionary genetics approaches. This work is important to me because it has such wide-ranging implications and can shed light on how heavy metal pollution can influence ecosystem and human health.

Tell us a bit about your laboratory. What are your research goals and objectives?

In nature, organisms experience a wide range of stressors that influence their ability to reproduce, survive, and adapt over time. Our research focuses on the roles that genetic variation, phenotypic plasticity, and behavior play in response to anthropogenic sources of stress. Current areas of research include characterizing the genetic control of resistance to copper toxicity and dissecting the genetic relationship between physiological and behavioral responses to heavy metal stress.

We study the Drosophila melanogaster model system through a combination of large mapping populations and wild-collected populations to determine the genetic and evolutionary factors that influence physiological and behavioral copper stress resistance.

What impact do you hope your research will have? Can you provide any examples of practical applications?

As my lab continues to investigate the links between physiological and behavioral responses to metal stress in an evolutionary context, we hope to better understand how these traits are genetically controlled and linked. Heavy metal toxicity is particularly damaging to developing individuals and has been linked to neurodegenerative diseases in humans, and more basic research is needed to understand how individuals may be more or less susceptible to the most damaging effects of exposure. Our goal is to contribute to filling that basic research need.

How does your work fit into the overall literature in your field?

There is a lot of excellent research that examines how heavy metal pathways are coordinated and respond to stress, but much of this research has been carried out in single genotypes or in a relatively limited set of genotypes. In contrast, we are examining the genetic control of physiological and behavioral responses to heavy metal toxicity using large mapping panels or in flies collected from natural populations. My goal is to help broaden our current understanding of how the toxicity response works by examining these patterns in many genotypes and by incorporating the effects of evolutionary response.

Education and Training:

• Postdoctoral Fellow, Macdonald Lab, Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas with Stuart J. Macdonald
• PhD in Biology, Kansas State University withTed J. Morgan
• BA in Biology, William Jewell College

Tina Mukherjee
Associate Editor

Tina Mukherjee is an Associate investigator at the Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine (inStem), in Bangalore, India where she leads a laboratory as part of the Regulation of Cell Fate area. The interest of her laboratory lies in understanding the importance of metabolic activity in innate immune development and function. The lab uses Drosophila to explore the diverse impact of metabolism on innate immune development and function. While this defines Mukherjee’s core interest in metabolic regulation of hematopoiesis, she also employs the power of other model systems in uncovering the underlying animal physiology that regulates these developmental level immune-metabolic state transitions. This allows Mukherjee to integrate physiology with immune-development and constitutes her fundamental approach in identifying novel paradigms of myeloid development but also hematopoiesis in general.

Why Publish in GENETICS?

Deborah Andrew’s journey from a first-generation college student to a leader in fruit fly genetics is nothing short of inspiring. She began her undergraduate studies in freshwater ecology; during that time, she took a genetics class taught by fruit fly geneticist David Kuhn that changed the course of her career. She worked in fruit fly genetics laboratories throughout her academic training to understand the role of homeotic genes in organ formation. Andrew, now the Bayard Halsted Professor of Cell Biology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, is still dedicated to studying organogenesis, particularly in uncovering genetic mechanisms governing tubular structures in Drosophila.

Mapping tubular structures from birth to morphogenesis

“I have always been interested in the questions about how a relatively nondescript fertilized egg turns into the multitude of specialized cell types found in the mature organism. Interested in organ formation, I began addressing the following questions: How is organ fate specified? How do organs specialize? How do they achieve their normal morphologies?” explains Andrew. Harnessing the power of genetic tractability in Drosophila, her pioneering work addressed fundamental mysteries in the salivary gland (digestive system) and trachea (respiratory system) development.

Andrew’s group made considerable strides toward understanding how an organ develops in its primordial state and achieves a final functional morphology by identifying the major transcription factors that control these processes at different stages of embryonic development. The major regulators of organ specification and function are known for only a small handful of organs in even fewer organisms. Remarkably, Andrew’s work identified major regulatory genes for salivary gland and trachea development and their interactions with downstream target genes. 

The salivary gland contains specialized cells with very high levels of secretion. The discovery of a conserved bZip-family transcription factor CrebA as the major regulator of increased secretory capacity is one of the most important findings from Andrew’s research group. “CrebA upregulates nearly all secretory pathway component genes, including genes encoding the protein components of the ER, Golgi, and secretory vesicles, as well as the genes that encode the proteins that transport nascent polypeptides to secretory organelles. This single transcription factor—CrebA—upregulates all of those,” emphasizes Andrew.

From fundamental biology to a direct impact on human health

Discovering conserved positive regulators of tube formation and secretion processes, Andrew’s work showed tremendous potential in developing artificial salivary glands and conferring secretory abilities to non-secretory cells. Her lab showed that each of the five human orthologues of CrebA could also induce the expression of secretory pathway component genes in fly embryos, highlighting the functional conservation of this gene family. Indeed, by expressing the closest mammalian ortholog of CrebA in HeLa cells, her group showed a similar upregulation in human secretory pathway gene expression. Such strategies could help ramp up the production of secretory products in biotherapeutic applications.

Andrew used her expertise in the Drosophila salivary gland to study the orthologous structure in Anopheles mosquitoes. The malaria-causing parasite Plasmodium migrates to the salivary gland ready to be injected into the vertebrate host at the time of feeding. Her group identified another transcription factor Sage that expresses only in the salivary gland. When knocked out from the Drosophila salivary gland cells, cells die massively via apoptosis. Now, her lab is using CRISPR technology to knockdown Sage from mosquito salivary glands in the hope of achieving cell death. “Moreover, Andrew has shown that the polarized architecture of the salivary gland acts as a natural barrier for parasite transmission. This line of investigation is likely to generate new targets for transmission-blocking strategies,” says Geraldine Seydoux, Professor of Molecular Biology and Genetics at Johns Hopkins University and long-time colleague and collaborator of Andrew.

A beloved mentor and community leader

Throughout her career at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Andrew considered herself privileged to work with young scientists, and her trainees returned the feeling. Andrew’s former trainee Caitlin Hanlon described her as an incredible mentor who always showed confidence in what her trainees could achieve. “Her dedication to helping train people and showing up for them created a wonderful and meaningful work culture not just in the laboratory but also in the department,” says Hanlon, who is now an Associate Professor at Quinnipiac University. Andrew also contributed to teaching efforts at Johns Hopkins. She dedicated countless hours teaching medical and graduate students the fundamentals of cell biology and physiology, keenly elucidating how things really work at the basic level in any cell. 

In addition to being a leader in her research field, Andrew generously offered her time and expertise to build fly genetics and development biology communities. She served as a representative to the Drosophila Board (“Fly Board”) from 1996 to 1999, as treasurer from 2013 to 2016, and president in 2017. She has organized major conferences over the years, including the Annual Drosophila Research Conference, the Santa Cruz Developmental Biology Meeting, and a Gordon Research Conference. She has been a long-term member of the Drosophila Genetics Resource Center Advisory Board.

Beyond her exemplary research and community work, Andrew is a fierce advocate of fundamental research and the fruit fly model system. “I would like more people to enter the Drosophila field. While we can do so many things in other systems, such as humans and mice, I strongly believe you get more bang for your buck in fly research,” emphasizes Andrew for scientists in training, encouraging them with a firm belief that what can be discovered in flies cannot easily be discovered anywhere else.

Join us in congratulating Deborah Andrew, who received the George W. Beadle Award at The Allied Genetics Conference 2024 in Metro Washington, DC.

2024 GSA Awards Seminar Series

In the first installment of the 2024 GSA Awards seminar series, Deborah Andrew described her lab’s findings on how the Drosophila salivary gland is first specified and maintained, and how early and continuously expressed transcription factors control both secretory capacity and specificity. She also shared recent efforts using genome-wide approaches to discover how functional enhancers of downstream target genes are organized. Watch the recording here!

Sejal Davla, PhD, is a neuroscientist, science writer, and data scientist with expertise in research in a variety of life sciences. She has more than a decade of experience studying the brain by using cutting-edge methodologies in microscopy, molecular biology, genetics, and biochemistry, and is a motivated storyteller and science communicator.

Beatriz Vicoso
Associate Editor, Empirical Population and Evolutionary Genetics

Beatriz Vicoso is an evolutionary biologist with a broad interest in how and why genomes change over time. Her research has focused on the evolution of sex chromosomes, such as the X and Y of fruit flies and mammals or the Z and W of birds and butterflies. During her PhD in Brian Charlesworth’s lab at the University of Edinburgh, she compared how genes evolve on the X and other chromosomes of the model organism Drosophila. During her postdoc in Doris Bachtrog’s lab at University of California, Berkeley and since 2015 in her own group at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria, she has examined the genome sequence and gene expression of various model and non-model organisms, and Vicoso has used them to investigate the origin and diversity of sex chromosomes on a broad phylogenetic scale.

Why publish in GENETICS?