E. Josephine Clowney

Modular presynaptic assemblages scale to postsynaptic partner number

The paper investigates how projection neurons in Drosophila adjust their presynaptic bouton number to match Kenyon cell population size during development.

Fruitless produces diverse neuronal sex differences by editing lineage-programmed chromatin landscapes

The paper investigates how the Fruitless transcription factor generates sex-specific neuronal differences by interacting with lineage-programmed chromatin landscapes in Drosophila.

Human neurodevelopmental genes housed in massive, ancient gene deserts

The paper identifies 21 human 'lonely genes' in large gene deserts, finds they are mostly cell adhesion molecules, and suggests they are structurally isolated and vulnerable in brain development.

Spatial constraints and cell surface molecule depletion structure a randomly connected learning circuit

The paper investigates how Kenyon cells in insect mushroom bodies form combinatorial connections with olfactory projection neurons through spatial and molecular mechanisms.

Hierarchical diversification of neurons regulating motivated behaviors

The paper identifies transcription factors that delineate hemilineages in Drosophila and show how they contribute to the diversification of neurons regulating motivated behaviors.

Diversity of visual inputs to Kenyon cells of the Drosophila mushroom body

The paper identifies visual inputs to Kenyon cells in Drosophila mushroom bodies, showing sparse, distributed, and combinatorial coding similar to olfactory coding but with distinct input repertoires.

Clock-dependent chromatin accessibility rhythms regulate circadian transcription

This study shows that chromatin accessibility oscillates with the circadian cycle in Drosophila clock neurons, with distinct motifs associated with dusk and dawn accessibility, and that Period protein is essential for these rhythms.

Hacking brain development to test models of sensory coding

The paper modifies circuit parameters in Drosophila mushroom bodies to assess how changes affect odor selectivity and discrimination.

Fruitless decommissions regulatory elements to implement cell-type-specific neuronal masculinization

The paper identifies regulatory elements in Drosophila fruitless neurons that are differentially accessible and controlled by FruM, revealing cell-type-specific masculinization mechanisms.

Presynaptic developmental plasticity allows robust sparse wiring of the Drosophila mushroom body

The paper investigates how presynaptic developmental plasticity enables sparse wiring of Drosophila mushroom body Kenyon cells, ensuring functional robustness despite reduced cellular diversity.