Jason D. Vevea, PhD
Jason D. Vevea, PhD

Jason D. Vevea, PhD

Assistant Member, St. Jude Faculty

Departments

Education

  • Postdoctoral Fellow - University of Wisconsin-Madison, HHMI
    • Warren Alpert Distinguished Scholar - University of Wisconsin-Madison, HHMI
    • NIH Fellow - University of Wisconsin-Madison, HHMI
  • PhD (Pathobiology & Molecular Medicine Program) - Columbia University, New York, New York
  • MPhil (Pathobiology & Molecular Medicine Program) - Columbia University, New York, New York
  • MA (Pathobiology & Molecular Medicine Program) - Columbia University, New York, New York
  • BSc (Biochemistry and Microbiology) - University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN

Honors and Awards

  • 2020-2022  Warren Alpert Distinguished Scholar
    Acute disruption of disease relevant neuronal proteins.
  • 2017-2020   NIH Postdoctoral F32 Fellow 
    Mechanisms regulating mitochondrial polarity in neurons: regional distribution and specialization. Mentor: Edwin R. Chapman, Ph.D.
  • 2018  F1000 Associate Faculty Member Travel Grant for Cell Biology Faculty
  • 2010-2011  HHMI Med into Grad Fellow. Clinical Mentor: Michio Hirano, M.D.

Research Interests

  • Molecular mechanisms of the synaptic vesicle cycle
  • Presynaptic origins of neurodegenerative disease
  • Organelle trafficking and polarity in neurons
  • Organelle quality control in neurons

Our lab is focused on understanding the molecular detail underlying basic mechanisms of organelle quality control and organelle trafficking in neurons. The goal is to better understand normal and physiological cellular function and to then apply that knowledge to understanding the cellular dysfunction that arises in human disorders or disease.

We have a special interest in the synaptic vesicle cycle and in organelle polarity of the neuron. The synaptic vesicle cycle is a complex membrane, protein, and small molecule trafficking event that encompasses the destruction and reformation of the small organelle known as the synaptic vesicle. The cellular mechanisms that establish and maintain this cycle through the life of an organism are unknown. We use the latest optical and biochemical approaches, along with developing our own tools to research this question and others.

Contact Information

Jason D. Vevea, PhD Developmental Neurobiology MS 322 St. Jude Children's Research Hospital 262 Danny Thomas Place Memphis, 38105-3678

Vevea Lab

St. Jude Faculty List

Selected Publications

Full list of publications

Vevea JD#, Chapman ER #. Mitofusin 2 sustains the axonal mitochondrial network to support presynaptic Ca2+ homeostasis and the synaptic vesicle cycle in rat hippocampal axons. J Neurosci 2023 (in press).  #These are co-contributing authors.

Courtney KC*, Vevea JD*, Li Y*, Wu Z, Zhang Z, Chapman ER. Synaptotagmin 1 oligomerization via the juxtamembrane linker regulates spontaneous and evoked neurotransmitter release. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118(48): e2113859118, 2021. *These authors contributed equally to the manuscript.

Vevea JD, Kusick GF, Chen E, Courtney KC, Watanabe S, Chapman ER. Synaptotagmin 7 is targeted to the axonal plasma membrane through γ-secretase processing to promote synaptic vesicle docking in mouse hippocampal neurons. Elife 10:e67261, 2021. This paper was highlighted in PerkinElmer (2021) “Eyes on Synaptotagmin 7 (SYT7) in Synaptic Function and Neuroplastic Health for Cognitive Decline”.

Vevea JD, Chapman ER. Acute disruption of the synaptic vesicle membrane protein synaptotagmin 1 using knockoff in mouse hippocampal neurons. Elife 9:e56469, 2020.

Vevea JD, Garcia EJ, Chan RB, Zhou B, Schultz M, McCaffery JM, Di Paolo G, Pon LA. Role for lipid droplet biogenesis and microlipophagy in adaptation to lipid imbalance in yeast. Developmental Cell 35.5:1-16, 2015.

McFaline‐Figueroa JR*, Vevea J*, Swayne TC, Zhou C, Liu C, Leung G, Boldogh IR, Pon LA. Mitochondrial quality control during inheritance is associated with lifespan and mother–daughter age asymmetry in budding yeast. Aging cell 10(5):885-895, 2011. *These authors contributed equally to the manuscript.  This was selected as an F1000Prime paper by the Faculty of 1000.

Last update: April 2023

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