Willem Laursen

(PI)

A native of the rural Midwest, Willem completed his undergraduate studies at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. After graduation, he worked at the National Institutes of Health as a postbaccalaureate research fellow where he was introduced to the power of Drosophila genetics. Willem then went on to obtain his PhD in Neuroscience from Yale University, working with hibernating ground squirrels in Elena Gracheva’s lab to characterize cellular and molecular adaptations that support mammalian nervous system function at extreme body temperatures. His postdoctoral work sought to merge his interests in diverse adaptations found in non-model systems with the power of genetic analysis. Working with Paul Garrity at Brandeis University, Willem used genetic manipulation of different vector mosquito species to identify the detection mechanisms and behavioral influence of attractive heat, humidity, and gustatory cues that are encountered in close proximity to hosts, food sources, and egg-laying sites. He has been the recipient of a Kavli Foundation Research Fellowship, a Charles A. King Trust postdoctoral fellowship and a Warren Alpert Distinguished Scholar award.

Marissa Dominguez

(Lab Manager)