Investigator Focus
Geoff Stilwell, PhD
Genetic Engineering Models Orchestrated in the Stillwell Lab
“More than 6 million people suffer from neurodegenerative disease (ND) for which there is no cure,” shared Dr. Geoff Stilwell, Associate Professor of Biology at Rhode Island College. In his research, Dr. Stilwell uses the powerful genetic model organism Drosophila melanogaster to study the consequences of mutations that cause various NDs. Currently, one project focuses on how mutations in the superoxide dismutase gene cause motor neuron cell death as a model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). He shared, “Mutations in superoxide dismutase were first discovered in the early 1990s and we still do not understand how changes in this one gene affect only some cells and not others.” The Stilwell Lab uses genetic engineering to create fly models which replicate many features of human disease and uses genetic screening approaches to identify the molecular pathways leading to motor neuron death. In addition to research, Dr. Stilwell teaches courses in basic Biology for non-majors, Genetics, Advanced Genetics, and a seminar capstone class.
“Mutations in superoxide dismutase were first discovered in the early 1990s and we still do not understand how changes in this one gene affect only some cells and not others”
Dr. Stilwell received his Ph.D. in Environmental Toxicology from the University of Wisconsin in 1997 and started his academic career as an NIH Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Washington (1998-2001). He spent the next decade working in drug discovery and development for biotechnology companies and Massachusetts General Hospital, and then began working at RIC in 2013 after filling in for a Genetics lab and loving the experience.
His honors and awards include the Department of Defense, Science Internship Award; Maryland Research and Scholarship Award; University of Wisconsin Research Service Award; NIEHS National Research Predoctoral Fellowship; and an NIH Postdoctoral Fellowship.
Dr. Stilwell has been a RI-INBRE investigator since 2014 with Early Career Development, Collaborative Research, and SURF awards. His research has supported over 30 undergraduate and graduate students, and he mentored Dr. Toni-Marie Achilli as a Teaching Postdoctoral Fellow (’14-‘17). While many of his projects were specific to ALS, he has recently begun to investigate more fundamental changes in neurons associated with other neurodegenerative diseases.
- Dr. Stilwell published his RI-INBRE-funded research in three peer-reviewed journals:
“Human SOD1 ALS Mutations in a Drosophila Knock-In Model Cause Severe Phenotypes and Reveal Dosage-Sensitive Gain- and Loss-of-Function Components.” Journal of Genetics, February 2017. PMC5289846, PMID27974499. Şahin, Aslı; Held, Aaron; Bredvik, Kirsten; Major, Paxton; Achilli, Toni-Marie; Kerson, Abigail G; Wharton, Kristi; Stilwell, Geoff; Reenan, Robert - “Age-dependent degeneration of an identified adult leg motor neuron in a Drosophila SOD1 model of ALS.” Journal of Biology open, October 21, 2020. PMC7595701, PMID32994185. Agudelo, Anthony; St Amand, Victoria; Grissom, Lindsey; Lafond, Danielle; Achilli, Toni; Sahin, Asli; Reenan, Robert; Stilwell, Geoff
- “Dissection and Immunohistochemistry of the Drosophila Adult Leg to Detect Changes at the Neuromuscular Junction for an Identified Motor Neuron.” Journal of Visualized Experiments: JoVE, February 12, 2022. PMID35225252. Stilwell, Geoff; Agudelo, Anthony
Furthermore, members of the Stilwell lab regularly present their work at topic-appropriate conferences and some examples include presenting the motor neuron work at the Society for Neuroscience conference in Washington, DC (Fall 2017), entitled “Age-dependent degeneration in an identified leg motor neuron in a Drosophila model of ALS” and presented by undergraduate students Anthony Agudelo (‘17) and Lindsey Grissom (’17).