Jonathan Bean Email & Phone Number

Houston, Tx, Us

Houston, Texas, United States

After completing my postdoctoral training I joined Prof. Yong Xu’s lab at Baylor College of Medicine as a Research Associate. During this time I continued to utilize mouse genetic models and molecular biology. I also began exploring single cell RNA sequencing data utilizing both publicly available datasets and generating our own datasets in the lab through our own experiments. I used these techniques to explore sex differences in transcriptomes in the Arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus in mice under different nutritional states. This as well as adding analyses to lab mates studies led to nine publications including two Nature Metabolisms, a Nature Medicine, a JCI, and a Cell

Houston, Texas Area

Seattle

While in the McKnight lab, I mastered molecular techniques related to working with RNA, in particular, a method pioneered by the lab, RiboTag. This method involves expressing an HA tag, in a Cre dependent manner, on a protein that associates with ribosomes and immunoprecipitating actively translating polyribosomes out of complex tissues. I went on to establish RNA-Seq for the lab using Illumina’s platform and mastered the use of the Tuxedo suite of sequence alignment and differential expression analysis tools.Using these techniques, I examined a set of neurons integrally involved in the control of fertility. Kisspeptin-1 (Kiss1) neurons are located in 2 regions of the hypothalamus in the brain, the rostral periventricular region of the 3rd ventricle (RP3V) and the arcuate nucleus (ARC). RP3V Kiss1 neurons project to cell bodies of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons and their activity is thought to be associated with the surge of GnRH, luteinizing hormone, and estrogen occurring during estrus. ARC Kiss1 neurons project to GnRH axon terminals where they are believed to control the pulsatile release of sex hormones in both sexes. As well as having an unknown function, Kiss1 message is difficult to detect in male RP3Vs, leading some to believe that they are not present in the adult male. To address this controversy, we crossed Kiss1-Cre mice with tdTomato reporter mice. To our surprise there were many tdTomato expressing neurons in adult male RP3Vs, suggesting Kiss1 neurons are still present. Next, we crossed Kiss1-Cre mice with RiboTag mice and immunoprecipitated mRNA out of RP3V in order to investigate whether female and male Kiss1 neurons had similar gene expression profiles. Interestingly, we found that many of the same neuropeptides enriched in female were also enriched in male RP3V Kiss1 neurons. We also discovered that male RP3V neurons express about 1/3rd the amount of Kiss1 message explaining why it has historically been difficult to detect.

Augusta, Georgia Area

During my PhD I studied schizophrenia susceptibility genes Neuregulin-1 (Nrg1) a neurotrophic factor and its receptor ErbB4. Using a genetic labeling technique I was able to demonstrate that Nrg1’s receptor ErbB4 is expressed almost exclusively in inhibitory GABAergic interneurons in the cortex and hippocampus. I was also able to identify novel cellular targets for Nrg1 – ErbB4 signaling in subcortical areas, finding ErbB4 selectively expressed in serotonin and dopamine neurons, two monoamines, but not in norepinephrine neurons a third type of monoamine. Additionally I was able to demonstrate ErbB4 is highly expressed in the hypothalamus being particularly enriched in the dorsal medial, the arcuate, and the paraventricular hypothalamic nuclei. In the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus I identified an additional novel cellular target for Nrg1 – ErbB4 signaling finding ErbB4 was expressed selectively in oxytocin neurons but not in neighboring vasopressin neurons. Monoaminergic neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine have long been implicated in psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia. Oxytocin has been implicated in social bonding something often impaired in schizophrenia. These findings shed light on previously unappreciated aspects of how Nrg1 and ErbB4 may be involved in schizophrenia.

Columbia, South Carolina Area

Through a combination of class credit, volunteering, and being paid through a work study grant I was able to garner a variety of research experience.I performed and analyzed behavioral studies shedding light on how infants develop object permanence in a developmental psychology laboratory.I conducted interviews of survivors of hurricane Katrina, helping to elucidate how social support plays a role in how well survivors of natural disasters recover psychologically in a clinical psychology laboratory. I assisted in studies that ultimately found differences in how neonatal exposure to cocaine affects neural development in male vs female rodents in a behavioral and molecular neuroscience laboratory.

Doctor Of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Neuroscience

Activities and Societies: Society for Neuroscience (SFN)

Bachelor Of Science (Bsc), Experimental Psychology, Magna Cum Laude