Jon DiRusso

About Jon DiRusso, Ph. D.

I am a molecular biologist with 12 years of experience at the bench, I have expertise tackling challenging questions in developmental biology using a variety of model systems including transgenic mice, mammalian stem cells (including mouse and human induced pluripotent stem cells), Drosophila and insect cell culture (Drosophila S2 and Sf9).

My work leverages a number of techniques to answer these questions, including vector design and CRISPR/Cas9 cloning, RNA-seq, ATAC-seq, ChIP-seq, western blotting and confocal microscopy. In order to ask and answer complex questions, my projects have used a combination of these approaches as needed, and I love to expand my wet-lab skill set when the need arises.

Away from the bench, I use a variety of computational tools to analyze genomics and imaging data. To this end I have developed pipelines to analyze RNA-seq, ChIP-seq, ATAC-seq, and single-cell RNA seq. To quantify often qualitative microscopy data, I employ ImageJ, scikit (Python) and R. My computational skillset includes Linux (use and system administration), R and Python.

More details about past and present projects can be found below and in more detail on my Projects page.

Current Projects

My current work focuses on understanding how epigenetic control of transposable elements contributes to gene regulatory networks that drive key fate transitions in mammalian germline development. This work answers basic questions about how transposable elements have embedded themselves into the evolutionary fabric of reproduction. My work has let to key insights including:

  1. An evolutionary young TE, LTR5Hs, acts as an enhancer in human germline specification.
  2. Precise, sex-specific control of TEs is necessary during transition from germline precursor cells to adult germ cells.

Collectively these projects demonstrate that TE expression and control are critical aspects of cell identity to consider when engineering and benchmarking in vitro models.

Past projects

My past projects have utilized Drosophila to ask a number of questions, including:

  1. What molecular mechanisms drive multi-drug resistance in tumor stem cells
  2. How can Drosophila be used to perform high-throughput screening of GRAS (generally regarded as safe) compounds to create a cheap, scalable system for analysis of potential toxicants before their entry to the consumer market.
  3. How can mis-regulation of protein folding lead to tumorigensis?
  4. How can genetically engineered nanobodies be used to open new avenues of research into rare diseases for which molecular tools have been unavailable

An abundance of genetic tools, as well as thoroughly understood cell-signaling networks made Drosophila an attractive model for these projects.

AWARDS, FELLOWSHIPS AND PRESENTATIONS

My work has won several competitive awards to fund my research, including:

  1. NIH F31 (F31 HD113346) – $58,902
  2. UCLA Molecular Biology Institute Whitcome Fellowship (2 years)
  3. ISSCR 2024 Travel Award

Additionally, I have won awards recognizing the merit of my work, including:

  1. NSF GRFP Honorable Mention
  2. UCLA Dean’s Scholar Award
  3. ISSCR 2024 Merit Abstract Award

My work has been chosen for talks at the following national conferences:

  1. ISSCR 2023: Presenting on the role of transposable elements in germline development
  2. Genetics Society of America, 2018: Presenting on a new high-throughput screening technique to identify chemicals which disrupt organ maintenance