Jeremy S. Dasen, Principal Investigator
Jeremy has had long-standing interest in the genetic and developmental programs involved in the assembly of neural circuits. He did his PhD work with Geoff Rosenfeld at UCSD, where he studied the gene regulatory networks involved in cell fate specification in the neuroendocrine system. As a postdoc with Tom Jessell at Columbia University, he studied the role of Hox transcription factors in generating neuronal diversity within the vertebrate spinal cord. His laboratory is interested in how genetic programs contribute the assembly and function of neural circuits that control movement.
Jeremy joined the Department of Neuroscience and Physiology at the NYU School of Medicine in 2006 and was promoted to Professor in 2019. He is the Program Director for the NYU Neuroscience T32 Training Program in Integrative Approaches to Explore Cellular Interactions in Neural Circuits. He is also the course director for the Advanced Topics in Molecular Neurobiology Course, required for all entering molecular-track NYU Neuroscience students, as well as the Assembly and Function of Neural Circuits course, designed for advanced students with an interest in molecular approaches to study neural circuits. Jeremy also participates in teaching and recruitment for the Medical Sciences Training Program (MSTP), Developmental Genetics Program, and Stem Cell Biology Program.
Jeremy was a recipient of a Burroughs Wellcome Fund Career Award in Biomedical Sciences, Sloan Research Fellowship, McKnight Scholar Award, and was a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Early Career Scientist.
Sara J. Fenstermacher, Postdoctoral Fellow
Sara Fenstermacher received her B.A. from Bucknell University and Ph.D. in neuroscience from Harvard University. Working with Dr. Rosalind Segal, she studied how neurotrophins promote axon viability through regulation of mRNA localization and translation in axons. She then started a postdoc with Dr. Tom Jessell at Columbia University before moving to NYU to continue her research with Dr. Jeremy Dasen. Sara is interested in the development and function of neural circuits that coordinate movement. Her current work seeks to understand how the serotonergic system modulates spinal cord circuits to allow for flexible motor control. Sara is a recipient of the K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award from NINDS and was previously a Junior Fellow in the Simons Foundation Society of Fellows.
Outside of the lab she enjoys yoga and cycling, attending music and arts performances, and watching sports.
Read more about Sara's work here.
Alexander Miller,
Graduate Student
Alex is a native of Oregon where he completed his undergraduate degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry at University of Oregon. During his undergraduate, Alex earned departmental honors from his work identifying genes necessary for elongation in C. elegans.
Alex’s current work investigates the role of chromatin modifications in neurogenesis. Chromatin modifications – mediated through the activity of Polycomb group proteins – have been implicated in a range of biological processes, from sex-determination to cancer progression. Alex is interested how these PcG-mediated chromatin modifications are involved in the differentiation of motor neurons. What are the mechanisms behind gene regulation and maintenance of developmental genes? When are these PcG-proteins necessary for their regulatory role during neurodevelopment? How do PcG-protein interactions change during motor neuron differentiation? To address these questions, Alex is utilizing chick, mouse, and cell culture models to test the necessity and functionality of PcG-proteins at various stages of neurogenesis.
Outside of lab, he enjoys hiking, rock climbing, playing music, and practicing mandarin Chinese.
Anne Cavanagh,
Research Associate/ Lab manager
Irene Chen,
Undergraduate research assistant
Ava Duchin,
Undergraduate research assistant
Lab Alumni
Alessandro De Camilli
Research Assistant
2007-2009
Next Steps: Yale Medical School
Julia LaCombe
Postdoctoral Fellow
2008-2011
Next Steps: Research Scientist, IRCM
Jonathan Grinstein
Research Assistant
2009-2011
Next Steps: UCSD PhD Program
Olivia Hanley
Graduate Student
2009-2015
Next Steps: Postdoctoral Fellow,
University of Zurich
Catarina Catela
Postdoctoral Fellow
2011-2016
Next Steps: Assistant Professor,
University of Chicago
Myungin Baek
Postdoctoral Fellow
2011-2018
Next Steps: Assistant Professor,
Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology
Lab Website
Sarah Pfennig
Research Associate
2019-2022
Next Steps: Science Teacher, Long Island
Kristen D'Elia
Graduate Student, Postdoctoral Fellow
2010-2022
Next Steps: Research Scientist
Rusy Lee
Research Associate
2022-2024
Next Steps: Graduate School
University of Pittsburgh
Molly Golden
Graduate Student
2008-2013
Next Steps: Consultant, ISA
Rocio Rivera
Postdoctoral Fellow
2008-2011
Next Steps: Scientist, L'Oreal
Heekyung Jung
Graduate Student
2009-2015
Next Steps: Postdoctoral Fellow,
Stanford University
Pola Philipidou
Postdoctoral Fellow
2009-2015
Next Steps: Assistant Professor,
Case Western University
Lab Website
David Lee
Research Assistant
2013-2016
Next Steps: Consultant
Helen Kim
Research Assistant
2016-2018
Next Steps: Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
Ayana Sawai
Graduate Student, Postdoctoral Fellow
2010-2022
Next Steps: Post Doctoral Fellow, Center for Human Genetics and Genomics, NYU Grossman School of Medicine
Hanna Hameedy
Research Associate
2021-2023
Next Steps: Graduate School
Brown University
Annie Vonasek
Research Associate
2022-2024