Biography

BS University of Utah

MD University of Utah College of Medicine, 1986.

PhD (Biology, Neuroscience) University of California at San Diego, 1992.

HHMI Postdoctoral Fellow UCSD, 1992

Assistant Professor, PEPR fellowship UT Southwestern 1993-1995.

Currently Professor of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, UTSW.

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

Undergraduate
Univ of Tx Southwestern Med Ct , Neuroscience
Medical School
University of UTAH (1986), Internal Medicine
Graduate School
Uni of California, Berkeley (1992), Biology

Research Interest

  • Diversity-the Smith lab is dedicated to promoting an inclusive, diverse and equitable research environment.
  • Olfactory Signal Transduction Mechanisms
  • Pheromone-Induced Behavior

Publications

Featured Publications LegendFeatured Publications

Farnesol-detecting olfactory neurons in Drosophila.
Ronderos DS, Lin CC, Potter CJ, Smith DP J. Neurosci. 2014 Mar 34 11 3959-68
Combinatorial rules of precursor specification underlying olfactory neuron diversity.
Li Q, Ha TS, Okuwa S, Wang Y, Wang Q, Millard SS, Smith DP, Volkan PC Curr. Biol. 2013 Dec 23 24 2481-90
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
A Pheromone Receptor Mediates 11-cis-Vaccenyl Acetate Responses in Drosophila
Ha, T.-S., Smith, D.P. J. Neuroscience 2006 26 8727-8733

Books

Featured Books Legend Featured Books

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)