Topic: Cellular, molecular, and physiological organization of the Drosophila foregut
Speaker: Dr. Zhu Haolong, Carnegie Institution for Science
Date and time: September 13, 13:30–15:00
Venue: Auditorium, L Building
Host: Dou Kun
Abstract:
Animal foregut first encounters ingested food, bacteria, and other microorganisms. One critical task for this gatekeeper tissue is to efficiently digest and absorb nutrients, while retaining beneficial microorganisms and rejecting pathogenic ones. This seminar will focus on our works that delineate these intricate physiological processes by characterizing the adult Drosophila foregut as an animal model. Specifically, the presentation will clarify the major Drosophila foregut cell types, including four novel cell types, their associated transcriptomes at single-cell resolution, and their physiological functions. Our data strongly supports the foregut’s role as a central coordinator of intestinal activities, metabolism, immune defense, and microbiome interactions by virtue of its location near the brain, sensory organs, and esophagus. Our results also suggest that the cells, genes, and functions of the foregut have been significantly conserved throughout animal evolution.
Biography:
Dr. Zhu Haolong is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the Carnegie Institution for Science on the Johns Hopkins campus. Haolong completed his PhD at the Johns Hopkins University where he was trained as a joint student with Dr. Will Ludington and Dr. Allan Spradling. His graduate study delineates the cellular and molecular organization of the Drosophila foregut and establishes the Drosophila foregut as a model for understanding multiple aspects of animal foregut physiology. Prior to his graduate training, Haolong received his BS from ShanghaiTech University where he was a member of the inaugural undergraduate class and graduated with the honor of the President’s Award. During his undergraduate, Haolong also attended Harvard University as a visiting undergraduate student for one year.