Derek Dean

Derek Dean

Senior Lecturer in Biology

ddean@williams.edu
413-597-2004
Hopper Science Center Rm 224
At Williams since 2004

Education

B.A. Oberlin College (1994)
Ph.D. Cornell University (2004)

Areas of Expertise

  • Developmental genetics, primarily using the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster as a model system.
  • Lab instructor and administrator for BIOL202 (Genetics) and BIOL102 (The Organism).
  • Laboratory curriculum development that engages students in novel research.

Scholarship/Creative Work

Publications

  • Dean DM, Codd LE*, Constanza R*, Segel XM*. 2025. purpleoid1, a classic Drosophila eye color mutation, is an allele of the t-SNARE-encoding gene SNAP29. microPublication Biology. 10.17912/micropub.biology.001563
  • Dean DM, Deitcher DL, Paster CO*, Xu M*, Loehlin DW. 2022. “A fly appeared”: sable, a classic Drosophila mutation, maps to Yippee, a gene affecting body color, wings, and bristles, G3 Genes|Genomes|Genetics. 12(5), jkac058, https://doi.org/10.1093/g3journal/jkac058   pdf
  • Dean DM, Deitcher DL, Loehlin DW, Banta LM. 2020. Mapping a mutation to its gene: The “fly lab” as a modern research experience. CourseSource. https://doi.org/10.24918/cs.2020.51
  • Dean D, Weinstein H*, Amin S*, Karno B*, McAvoy E*, Hoy R, Recknagel A, Jarvis C, and Deitcher DL. 2017. Extending julius seizure, a bang-sensitive gene, as a model for studying epileptogenesis: Cold shock, and a new insertional mutation. Fly (Austin). Nov 10:0. doi: 10.1080/19336934.2017.1402993. pdf
  • Dean DM, Maroja L, Bomkamp B*, Cottrill S*, Westervelt K*, and Deitcher DL. 2015. The wavy mutation maps to the Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 3-kinase 2 (IP3K2) gene of Drosophila and interacts with IP3R to affect wing development. G3 (Bethesda). 2015 Nov 27;6(2):299-310. doi: 10.1534/g3.115.024307. pdf
  • Banta LM et al. 2012. Integrating Genomics Research throughout the Undergraduate Curriculum: A Collection of Inquiry-Based Genomics Lab Modules. CBE Life Sci Educ. 11(3): 203-208. pdf
  • Lahr EC, Dean D, and Ewer J. (2012). Genetic analysis of ecdysis behavior in Drosophila reveals partially overlapping functions of two unrelated neuropeptides. J Neurosci. 32(20): 6819-29. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5301- 11.2012.
  • Dean DM 2012. Streamlined strategies to better visualize Southern blotting. American Biology Teacher. 74(4): 270-271. 
  • Dean DM and Wilder J 2011. The “Frankenplasmid” Lab: an investigative exercise for teaching recombinant DNA methods. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education. Sep-Oct;39(5):367-74. doi: 10.1002/bmb.20531. Epub 2011 Jul 25. pdf
  • Dean DM, Himes CM, Behrman E*, and Savage RM. 2009. Hunchback-like protein is expressed in cleavage blastomeres, gastrula epithelium, and ciliary structures in gastropods. Biological Bulletin. Oct; 217 (2). pdf
  • Paré AC¹, Dean DM¹, Ewer J. 2009. Constructing deletions with defined endpoints in Drosophila using P-elements in trans. Genetics. Jan; 181(1):53-63. pdf
  • Bayline RJ, Dean DM, Booker R. 2005. Inhibitors of ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis can delay programmed cell death of adult intersegmental muscles in the moth Manduca sexta. Dev Dyn. 2005 Jun;233(2):445-55. pdf

Posters/Presentation

  • Dean DM and Maroja LS. (2012). Adapting the “Fly Lab” for primary research in the genetics classroom. Abstract 887B (poster). 53rd Annual Drosophila Research Conference, Genetics Society of America.
  • Dean DM, Pyi Son MK*, Cortes C*, Nachun D*, and Liu J*. (2011). PI3K signaling modulates the bang sensitivity of slamdance mutants. Abstract 997A (poster). 52nd Annual Drosophila Research Conference, Genetics Society of America.
  • Ewer J**, Lahr E and Dean DM. (2010). Genetic analysis of ecdysis behavior in Drosophila. Abstract 142 (presentation). 51st Annual Drosophila Research Conference, Genetics Society of America.
  • Pyi Son MK* and Dean DM. (2009). dFOXO function increases the bang-Sensitivity of slamdance mutants. Abstract 993C (poster). 50th Annual Drosophila Research Conference, Genetics Society of America.
  • Dean DM, Baccaro B*, Ramos S*, and Sluis K*. (2008). An interaction between diet and seizure recovery in a Drosophila genetic model for seizures. Abstract 982A (poster). 49th Annual Drosophila Research Conference, Genetics Society of America.

(¹ shared first authorship, *Williams College undergraduates, **presenter)

Research Interests

We use the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster as a model system to study a wide range of topics in developmental genetics. Much of this work stems from genetic mapping projects that we start in the BIOL202 class. After taking BIOL202, interested students have joined my research lab to help us map classic Drosophila mutations to their associated genes. In parallel, we use Drosophila genetics techniques such as GAL4/UAS, GAL80, RNAi, LexA/LexAop, FLP/FRT, and genetic interaction tests to investigate the function of the genes that we are mapping. For examples of our recent work, please see our manuscripts on the body color mutation sable and the eye color mutation purpleoid.

RNAi of the E3 ubiquitin ligase complex gene Yippee, showing its effect on body color and wing morphology (Dean et al., 2022).

 

Mapping the purpleoid eye color mutation to the SNARE complex gene SNAP29 (Dean et al., 2025).

Curriculum Development

I also am very interested in developing the laboratory program at the Biology Department. Some of the more successful laboratory modules and teaching aides that we have developed will be made freely available to the academic community. See below for some examples of lesson plans we have worked on.

Drosophila genetics

Our recently-published lesson plan (https://doi.org/10.24918/cs.2020.51) is a Drosophila genetic mapping experiment that has worked well for us in our BIOL202 class. The unit simulates primary research, allowing students to map a mutation to a single gene. As written, the lesson takes up 4 weeks of lab, but it can be adapted to fit the needs of many different types of Genetics courses, even those without an in-person lab component (the exercise could be completely online). We included a number of supporting files to get teachers and staff up-and-running: the lab manual, a complete sample dataset, lecture slides, demo video, answer keys, etc.. New to flies? We have a prep guide that includes background for those who have never worked with flies before. Happy to help you adapt the prep to your needs and get started–feel free to contact me at ddean@williams.edu.

Frankenplasmid resources
  • Dean and Wilder, 2011
  • File S1 (laboratory manual)
  • File S2 (supply list)
  • I have other by-request resources that may be of use to instructors (answer keys, lecture slides, etc.).