Dean Smith, MD, PhD

Professor
Pharmacology, Neuroscience
Graduate Program: Cell Regulation
Neuroscience

Contact Information

UT Southwestern Medical Center
5323 Harry Hines Boulevard
Dallas, Texas 75390

Office Phone: 214-648-1650
Office Fax: 214-648-1801

dean.smith@utsouthwestern.edu

Biography

BS University of Utah, 1982.

MD University of Utah College of Medicine, 1986.

PhD (Biology, Neuroscience) University of California at San Diego.

PEPR fellowship UT Southwestern 1993-1995.

Research Interests: Biochemical and neuronal mechanisms mediating olfactory behavior. We are using a combination of genetics, biochemistry, electrophysiology, cell biology and molecular biology to undertake a molecular dissection of chemosensory behavior in Drosophila. This relatively simple model system allows us to correlate expression of signal transduction molecules with specific subsets of olfactory neurons so we can understand chemical information processing by the brain. Most recently we have been focusing on pheromone signal transduction and how these special odorants elicit behavioral responses.

 

Education

Graduate SchoolUniversity of California-Berkeley (1992)
Graduate SchoolUniversity of Utah (1986)

Research Interests

Olfactory Signal Transduction Mechanisms
Pheromone-Induced Behavior

Publications

Featured
Activation of Pheromone-Sensitive Neurons is Mediated by Conformational Activation of Pheromone-Binding Protein

Laughlin, J. D., Ha, T.-S., Jones, D. M. N., and Smith, D. P. , Cell , 2008; (133):1255-1265

Featured
Novel Genomic cDNA Hybrids Produce Effective RNA Interference in Adult Drosophila

Kalidas, S and Smith, D. P. , Neuron , 2002; (33):1-8

Activation of the T1 neuronal circuit is Necessary and Sufficient to Induce Sexually Dimorphic Behaviors in Drosophila

Ronderos, D. and Smith, D. P. , Journal of Neuroscience , February 2010; (30(7)):2595-2599

SNMP is a Signaling Component Required for Pheromone Sensitivity in Drosophila

Jin, X., Ha, T. S., Smith, D. P. , PNAS USA , 2008; (105):10996-1001

Activation of Pheromone-Sensitive Neurons is Mediated by Conformational Activation of Pheromone-Binding Protein

Laughlin, J. D., Ha, T.-S., Jones, D. M. N., and Smith, D. P. , Cell , 2008; (133):1255-1265

A Pheromone Receptor Mediates 11-cis-Vaccenyl Acetate Responses in Drosophila

Ha, T.-S., Smith, D.P. , J. Neuroscience , 2006; (26):8727-8733

Novel Genomic cDNA Hybrids Produce Effective RNA Interference in Adult Drosophila

Kalidas, S. and Smith, D. P. , Neuron , 2002; (33):1-8

Honors/Awards

Elected to SWAT

Member UT Southwestern Academy of Teachers (2009)

British Royal Entomological Society Award

Award for best manuscript published in Insect Molecular Biology (2004)

American Heart Association, LBJ Award

Award for best grant (1995)