Dean Smith, M.D., Ph.D.

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.

Undergraduate

Univ of Tx Southwestern Med Ct , Neuroscience

Medical School

University of UTAH (1986), Internal Medicine

Graduate School

Uni of California, Berkeley (1992), Biology

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

Featured Publications

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Guo H, Kunwar K, Smith D J. Neurosci. 2017 09 37 39 9465-9473

Odorant Receptor Desensitization in Insects.

Guo H, Smith DP J Exp Neurosci 2017 11 1179069517748600

Odorant Responses and Courtship Behaviors Influenced by at4 Neurons in Drosophila.

Pitts S, Pelser E, Meeks J, Smith D PLoS ONE 2016 11 9 e0162761

Lipid flippase modulates olfactory receptor expression and odorant sensitivity in Drosophila.

Ha TS, Xia R, Zhang H, Jin X, Smith DP Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 2014 May

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

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

 Featured Books

How Drosophila Detect Volatile Pheromones: Signaling, Circuits and Behavior. In Neurobiology of Chemical Communication

Samarpita Sengupta, Smith, DP (2014). London, CRC Press

• 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)