Professor
Dr. Amrein’s research focuses on neural coding of chemosensory perception and neuropeptide signaling using insect model systems. He earned his PhD from the University of Zurich, Switzerland, and conducted postdoctoral studies with Dr. Tom Maniatis at Harvard University and Dr. Richard Axel at Columbia University. Prior to his appointment to Texas A&M University, Dr. Amrein was a faculty at Duke University School of Medicine from 1998 to 2009. Dr. Amrein joined Texas A&M School of Medicine in 2009 as a professor of the Department of Cell Biology and Genetics. He also served in administrative roles at the School of Medicine, first as Associate Head of the Department of Cell Biology and Genetics (2012 to 2018), and then as Senior Associate Dean of Research (2018 to 2022).
RESEARCH STAFF
Ms. Veronika Mojik is a graduate student in Genetics and Genomics. She earned her BS degree in in 2023 from the University of North Carolina, Asheville. In the Amrein lab, Ms. Mojik’s primary research interests focus on the role of neuropeptides whose secretion is regulated by Glucose-6-Phosphatase, in energy metabolism. Specifically, she is investigating the function of Orcokinin in glycogen storage in muscle and fat cells.
Dr. Ji-Eun Ahn received her Ph.D. from Texas A&M University in 2008, where she investigated plant-insect interactions in the Department of Entomology. Her current research focuses on the function of the six highly conserved Gr28 receptors, specifically their role in appetite and repulsive taste behavior in larvae. Dr. Ahn is also developing new molecular-genetic tools using intein self-splicing modules to expand usability of bi-model expression systems.
Dr. Tetsuya Miyamoto is a Research Assistant Professor. He earned his Ph.D. from the Nagoya University, Japan, in 2004. Dr. Miyamoto’s research interests are in internal nutrient sensing and neuropeptide signaling. Specifically, he is investigating how internal cues modulate neuropeptide signaling, and how such signaling affects nutrient metabolism.
Research Scientist
Dr. Shinsuke Fujii is a Research Scientist. He received his Ph.D. in 1996 from the University of Chiba, Japan, working in Microbiology. In the Amrein lab, Dr. Fujii is interested in the structure function relationship of Gustatory Receptors and their respective ligands. Specifically, he characterizing ligand specificity of chimeric receptors consisting of different domains of Gr43a and Gr28a/ 28b.a respectively, using Ca2+ imaging and behavioral analyses.
Lab manager
Dr. Dong Lee received his Ph.D. in 1998 from the Jeonbuk National, South Korea, in Microbiology. He is the lab manager of the Amrein and Sitcheran lab.
The Amrein Laboratory at Texas A&M University 