Stephane Dissel

Stephane Dissel is an Assistant Professor and Principal Investigator in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC), where he leads the Dissel Lab focused on the neurogenetic mechanisms of sleep, memory, and decision-making in Drosophila melanogaster. He established his lab at UMKC in January 2018 after completing a six-year postdoctoral fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis.

Education:

• PhD in Genetics, University of Leicester, UK
• Undergraduate studies, University Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg, France

Dr. Dissel's research lies at the intersection of neurobiology and behavior. His lab investigates fundamental questions such as What is sleep?, Why do we sleep?, and How do sleep, memory, and decision-making interact? Using the fruit fly as a model organism, his team employs advanced genetic techniques like the Split-GAL4 system to assign behavioral roles to specific neurons, including the discovery of VNC-SP neurons that strongly promote sleep. The lab also focuses on generating highly specific genetic tools to eliminate off-target expression, enhancing the precision of behavioral neuroscience research.

The recent publications from his lab reflect a strong trend in dissecting neural circuits underlying sleep and behavior, with a focus on methodological innovation and neuroanatomical precision. His work has been published in high-impact journals such as PLOS Biology and eLife.

Scientific Contributions and Recognition:

• Development of a dFB-specific GAL4 line for precise behavioral studies
• Discovery of VNC-SP neurons as strong promoters of sleep
• Investigation of the dorsal fan-shaped body as a heterogeneous sleep-regulating center

Dr. Dissel actively mentors students at multiple levels, including undergraduate researchers and postdoctoral fellows. His former PhD student Joseph David Jones successfully defended in 2022, and postdoctoral researcher Andrew Montgomery was part of the lab until 2024. He has secured research funding that supports his lab's work, enabling the training of students and the pursuit of innovative neuroscience questions. The Dissel Lab fosters a collaborative and family-like environment, engaging in public outreach by hosting local high school students.

Lab and Research Team:

The Dissel Lab at UMKC includes a postdoctoral research fellow (Dr. Brandon Holder), a lab technician (Dr. Jen McEllin), and a dynamic group of undergraduate researchers. The team works on developing behavioral assays, maintaining fly stocks, and conducting experiments on sleep, memory, and decision-making. The lab is equipped with tools for genetic manipulation, behavioral testing (including Y-Maze and T-Maze paradigms), and neuroanatomical analysis.