Jacob M. Musser

This study shows that cholinergic and monoaminergic signaling originated before Bilateria, using a combination of metabolomics, phylogenetics, and single-cell analysis.

This paper introduces a mobile optical coherence microscope for high-resolution, label-free imaging of aquatic organisms in both lab and field settings, enabling detailed morphological and dynamic analysis.

This study identifies an ancient monoaminergic system in sponges that coordinates contractility through tryptamine signaling, predating neurons.

The paper maps a whole-body single-cell transcriptome into an electron microscopy volume of an annelid worm to study cellular morphology and gene regulation.

The paper compares gene expression in convergent jellyfish eyes, finding mostly lineage-specific expression but shared conserved vision genes across species.

The paper identifies conserved and lineage-specific gene regulatory programs involved in cnidocyte specification in Nematostella vectensis, revealing how novel transcription factors contribute to cnidocyte diversification.

sc-SPLASH enables reference-free discovery in scRNA-seq and spatial transcriptomics, uncovering novel transcriptomic features like V(D)J recombination and secreted repeat proteins.

The paper identifies an ancient relaxant-inflammatory response in sponges during deflation, driven by actomyosin relaxation and associated with inflammation-like states.

The paper shows that regenerated crustacean legs in Parhyale precisely replicate the microanatomy, sensory function, and transcriptional profiles of uninjured legs.

The paper uses scRNA-seq to identify cell types in sea urchin larvae, revealing neuronal and gene regulatory networks with evolutionary implications.

The paper identifies 18 cell types in sponges, including neuroid cells with synaptic gene expression, suggesting early neuro-immune system evolution.

The paper uses SAMap to compare single-cell atlases across species, identifying homologous cell types and revealing ancient cell families in animal evolution.

The paper investigates the evolutionary origin of feathers and avian scales by comparing transcriptomes from chicken, emu, and alligator skin appendages, revealing shared gene expression patterns between feathers and scutate scales.