Profiles

Danna Zeiger

Graduate Student

B.S., Neuroscience and Behavior, Barnard College, Columbia University, 2006.

danna [at] brandeis.edu

Characterization of the dauer pathway and the identification of dauer pheromone components

I have recently joined the lab and am just beginning my PhD. I have always been interested in how environmental influences translate to biological changes, and studying C. Elegans is particularly fascinating because one can visualize such environmental changes on a whole organismal level. We are using this model system to characterize the molecular mechanisms of various types of sensation. I am focusing on studying chemicals and pheromones that worms sense in their environments, and the molecular mechanisms of this sensation. In particular, I am interested in the dauer pheromone which arrests the worm in the dauer phase, a developmental stage that is non-aging and allows them to live in highly populated and under-nourished environments. Specific components of dauer pheromone have now been identified and have been shown to produce some interesting dauer phenotypes. I hope to use this newly-published data to further characterize the dauer formation pathway. I am excited to be here in the beginning stages of my graduate career and to see how my project will develop!