Josie Clowney

Josie Clowney is an Associate Professor in the Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology at the University of Michigan, where she has held faculty position since 2017. Her research investigates the genomic algorithms that construct neural circuits during development, using Drosophila as a model to study how chemosensory systems drive both instinctual behaviors and learning. She teaches Bio 172 and an upper-level seminar on cellular diversity and scientific writing, and mentors graduate students through MCDB, CMB, NGP, and BIOINF PhD programs.

Her educational background includes:

• Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences (2012) from the University of California, San Francisco
• B.S. in Cellular and Molecular Biology (2005) from the University of Michigan, where she conducted research with Cunming Duan

Clowney's research centers on understanding how definitive neuronal parameters are encoded in genomic information and translated into cellular architectures. Her lab hypothesizes that developmental algorithms for learning circuits versus instinctual circuits differ fundamentally in their genomic requirements, with chemosensory circuits serving as key models. Using fruit flies for their tractable brain organization, her work bridges computational principles and biological implementation to uncover universal brain organization rules.

Analysis of her 15 most recent publications (2016-2025) reveals consistent focus on Drosophila mushroom body development, neural sexual differentiation, and spatial constraints in circuit formation. Key themes include non-deterministic mechanisms diversifying cell surface expression, chromatin dynamics in circadian regulation, and how input density tunes sensory responses. Her work integrates genomics, neuroanatomy, and behavior to model how compact genomic information generates complex neural architectures.

No scientific awards were mentioned in the provided text.

Dr. Clowney advises graduate students through multiple PhD programs at the University of Michigan, though specific student names and grant details are not provided in the source material. Her teaching includes foundational undergraduate coursework and advanced seminars emphasizing scientific writing. The active publication record spanning 2016-2025 indicates sustained research funding supporting her lab's investigations into neural circuit development.

The Clowney Lab, housed in the Biological Sciences Building (4218 BSB), employs Drosophila genetics and neuroanatomical techniques to dissect developmental algorithms of brain wiring. Current projects explore how spatial constraints structure learning circuits, mechanisms of neural sexual differentiation, and the genomic encoding of circuit diversity. The lab collaborates within Michigan's neuroscience community through the Program in Biology and participates in interdisciplinary initiatives studying brain evolution and function.