Kevin Curran PhD
SUMMARY
Biologist with work experience in embryology, neuroscience, drug discovery and stem cell research. I currently teach cell biology at the University of San Diego, lead an undergraduate drug discovery research program and deliver science seminars for the pharmaceutical community. I’m comfortable explaining complex biological phenomenon to a broad audience.
WORK EXPERIENCE
2015 – Current
Instructor/Consultant for Biotech Primer – based in Towson, Maryland
- Deliver 2-day courses at various biotech/pharma hubs in the U.S./Canada.
- Explain the science behind recent developments in immunotherapy, stem cell research, CAR-T, CRISPR and other new trends in medicine.
2014 – Current
Adjunct Professor for University of San Diego – San Diego, California
- Teach Cell Biology and Ethnobotany courses.
- Lead an undergraduate research program testing bioactive plant compounds for anti-cancer activity on human lung cancer cells.
2011 – 2014
Post-doctoral fellow for Salk Institute – San Diego, California
- Performed neuroscience research on roundworms (C. elegans).
- Studied the role of serotonin in the fear/anxiety behavior pathway.
2003 – 2004
Research Technician for UCSF – San Francisco, California
- Optimized a stem cell therapy related to cardio-vascular disease.
2000 – 2003
Research Technician for Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center – New York, NY
- Operated a Laser Confocal Microscope facility.
EDUCATION
2004 – 2010
Doctoral thesis (PhD granted) at University of Washington – Seattle, Washington
- Explored the genetic regulation of stem cells.
1996 – 2000
Bachelors of Science at Southern Oregon University – Ashland, Oregon
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
2014 – 2017 Cell Biology / Ethnobotany @University of San Diego
2010 Introduction to Genetics @University of Washington
2009 Developmental Biology @University of Washington
2004 Plant/Animal Physiology @University of Washington
FUNDED GRANTS
2013-2014 Salk Alumni Fellowship
2006-2009 Development Biology Training Grant (NIH-NICHD)
2006-2009 Cell Molecular Biology Grant (NIH-NICHD)
2004-2007 ARCS Fellowship (Washington Research Foundation)
PUBLICATIONS
Liu Z, Kariya M, Chute C, Pribadi A, Leinwand S, Tong A, Curran K, Bose N, Schroeder F, Srinivasan S, Chalasani S, 2017. Predator-secreted sulfolipids induce fear-like defense responses in C. elegans. In review at Nature Neuroscience.
Joens MS, Huynh C, Kasuboski J, Ferranti D, Sigal J, Zeitvogel F, Obst M, Burkhardt C, Curran K, Chalasani S, Stern L, Goetze B, Fitzpatrick JA. 2013. Helium Ion Microscopy (HIM) for the imaging of biological samples at sub-nanometer resolution. Scientific Reports, 3. 3514.
Curran K and Chalasani SH. 2012. Serotonin circuits and anxiety: what can invertebrates teach us? Invertebrate Neuroscience. 12, 81-92
Curran K, Prendergrast A, Parichy,D.M., Kunkel, G, Lister J.A., Raible D.W. 2010. Interplay between Foxd3 and Mitf regulate cell fate plasticity in the zebrafish neural crest. Developmental Biology. 344, 107-118.
Curran K, Raible D.W., Lister J.A. 2009. Foxd3 controls specification of pigment cell types in the zebrafish neural crest by regulation of Mitf. Developmental Biology.332, 408-417.
Boffa D, Waka J, Thomas D, Suh S, Curran K, Sharma V.K., Besada M, Muthukumar T, Yang H, Suthanthiran M, Manova K. 2005. Measurement of apoptosis of intact human islets by confocal optical sectioning and stereologic analysis of YO-PRO-1-stained islets. Transplantation. 79(7), 842-5.
Waka J, Sugn S, Besada M, Curran K, Boffa D and Manova K. 2003. Stereologic analysis of cell death in optical sections of intact human pancreatic islets. Microscopy Microanalysis, 448- 449.
Bainbridge, T, Curran K, Shaw S, Southworth, D. 2000 Antibodies to Brassica rapa sperm recognize diverse cell types and gametes. American Journal of Botany. 87, 34.
Curran K. S.E.M. Micrograph of Quercus garryana root tip. 1999. Biocomplexity blooms in NSF’s research garden. Science. 286, 2068-2069.