Education
May 2018 — Ph.D., Dept. of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin, Madison. Advised by Dr. Lauren V. Riters.
2009-2013 — B.Sc., Molecular Environmental Biology, University of California, Berkeley.
March 2018 — Delta Certificate in Teaching and Learning, University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Academic positions
Dec 2019 – present –Postdoctoral Research Fellow. Healey Lab. University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
Aug 2018 – Dec 2019 — Postdoctoral Research Associate. Healey Lab. University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
Publications
Spool, J.A., Bergan, J.F., Remage-Healey, L. (2022). A neural circuit perspective on brain aromatase. Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yfrne.2021.100973.
Spool, J.A., Macedo-Lima, M., Scarpa, G., Morohashi, Y., Yazaki-Sugiyama, Y., Remage-Healey, L. (2021). Genetically identified neurons in avian auditory pallium mirror core principles of their mammalian counterparts. Current Biology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2021.04.039.
Stevenson, S.A., Piepenburg, A., Spool, J.A., Angyal, C.A., Hahn, A.H., Zhao, C., Riters, L.V. (2020). Endogenous opioids facilitate intrinsically-rewarded birdsong. Scientific Reports. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-67684-1.
Hahn, A.H., Spool, J.A., Angyal, C.S., Stevenson, S.A., Riters, L.V. (2019). Conditioned place preferences induced by hearing song outside the breeding season relate to neural dopamine D1 and cannabinoid CB1 receptor gene expression in female European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris). Behavioural Brain Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2019.111970.
Riters, L.V., Spool, J.A., Merullo, D.P., Hahn, A.H. (2019). Song practice as a rewarding form of play in songbirds. Behavioural Processes. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beproc.2017.10.002.
Riters, L.V., Kelm-Nelson, C.A., Spool, J.A. (2019). Why do birds flock? A role for opioids in the reinforcement of gregarious social interactions. Frontiers in Physiology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2019.00421.
Spool, J.A., Merullo, D.P., Zhao, C., Riters, L.V. (2019). Seasonal changes of co-localized mu opioid receptors and dopamine D1 receptors in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and subregions of the medial preoptic area in male European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris). Hormones and Behavior. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2018.11.003.
Spool, J.A., Jay, M.D., Riters, L.V. (2018). Nest cavity exploration may stimulate breeding physiology and alter mRNA in the medial preoptic area of female European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris). Journal of Experimental Biology. https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.174441.
Merullo, D.P., Spool, J.A., Zhao, C., Riters, L.V. (2018). Co-localization patterns of neurotensin receptor 1 and tyrosine hydroxylase in brain regions involved in motivation and social behavior in male European starlings. Journal of Chemical Neuroanatomy 89: 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jchemneu.2018.01.002.
Spool, J.A., Riters, L.V. (2017). Associations between environmental resources and the “wanting” and “liking” of male song in female songbirds. Integrative and Comparative Biology 57(4): 835-845. https://doi.org/10.1093/icb/icx117.
Spool, J.A., Riters, L.V., Piper, W.H. (2017). Territorial defence strategies relate to recent reproductive success in common loons (Gavia immer). Journal of Avian Biology 48(10): 1281-1286. https://doi.org/10.1111/jav.01389.
Hahn, A.H., Merullo, D.P., Spool, J.A., Angyal, C.A., Stevenson, S.A., Riters, L.V. (2017). Song-associated reward correlates with endocannabinoid-related gene expression in male European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris). Neuroscience 346: 255-266. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2017.01.028.
Spool, J.A., Stevenson, S.A., Angyal, C.S., Riters, L.V. (2016). Independent contributions of testosterone and a nesting territory to sexually-motivated behaviors and mRNA expression in the medial preoptic area of male European starlings. Hormones and Behavior 86: 36-44. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2016.09.004.
Research grants and awards
2022 — NIH Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00), $231,256.
2021 — Lyn Clemens Postdoctoral Award – Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology.
2019 — Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA), Postdoctoral Fellowship, $185,582.
2017 — Campus-wide teaching award: Innovation in Teaching.
2016 — Lowell E. and Ruth Chase Noland Memorial Fund and the John and Virginia Emlen Award Fund, $1,650.
2015-2017 — John Jefferson Davis Travel Award, total $2,400.
2015 — NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, Honorable mention.
Teaching
Fall 2020 — Instructor, What Science Is, and What It Isn’t: An Intro to Philosophy of Science (remote learning).
Summer 2018 — Instructor, Neurobiology.
Fall 2017 — Teaching Assistant, Neuroscience.
Spring 2017 — Bias and diversity workshop.
2016-2017 — Teaching Assistant, Zoology 151: Introductory Biology lab.
Fall 2016 — Improv to Improve Teaching and Communication.
Spring 2016 — Broader Impacts: Public Education, Engagement and Outreach for Animal Research.
Spring 2013 — Instructor, Current Issues in Urban Education Seminar. UC Berkeley.
Conferences and presentations
Oral presentations
Systems and Behavioral Neuroscience seminar series, University of Virginia. Sep 2022
Title: Descending auditory input to the Social Behavior Network. Invited talk.
Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology, annual meeting, Atlanta, GA. Jun 2022
Title: Characterizing aromatase network connections in the auditory pallium and hypothalamus.
Workshop on Steroid Hormones and Brain Function, Breckinridge, CO. Mar 2022
Title: Characterizing aromatase network connections in the auditory pallium and hypothalamus. Invited talk.
Lab of Neuroendocrinology seminar series, UCLA. Dec 2021
Title: Characterizing a circuit in songbirds linking the auditory pallium and the Social Behavior Network. Invited talk.
Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology, annual meeting. Jun 2021
Title: Characterizing a circuit in songbirds linking the auditory pallium and the Social Behavior Network.
Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology, annual meeting; Jan 2018
Aubrey Gorbman Best Student Oral Presentation session. San Francisco, CA.
Title: Nest cavity exploration may stimulate breeding physiology and alter mRNA expression in the medial preoptic
area of female European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris).
MidBrains Midwest Regional Neuroscience Conference; St. Paul, MN. Nov 2017
Title: Nest cavity exploration stimulates breeding physiology and alters preoptic mRNA expression in female
European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris). Invited talk.
Poster presentations
Neural Mechanisms of Acoustic Communication GRC, South Hadley, MA. Aug 2022
Characterizing a Circuit Linking Auditory Pallium and the Social Behavior Network.
Society for Neuroscience, annual meeting, Chicago, IL. Oct 2019
Genetic and physiological segregation of excitatory vs inhibitory cell types in songbird auditory cortex.
Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology, annual meeting; Bloomington, IN. Jun 2019
Genetic segregation of, and aromatase colocalization in, excitatory vs inhibitory cell types in songbird auditory cortex.
Bird Song and Animal Communication, annual meeting; Millbrook, NY. Oct 2018
Co-localization of mu-opioid receptors and dopamine D1 receptors across seasonal states in the medial preoptic area
and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis in male European starlings.
Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology; Long Beach, CA. Jun 2017
Nest cavity exploration stimulates breeding physiology and alters preoptic mRNA expression in female European
starlings (Sturnus vulgaris).
Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology; Montreal, QC, Canada. Aug 2016
Cannabinoid and dopamine D1 receptor mRNA in the medial preoptic nucleus relate to song-associated conditioned
place preference in female European starlings.
Society for Neuroscience, annual meeting; Chicago, IL. Oct 2015
Independent contributions of testosterone and a nesting site to sexually-motivated behaviors and mRNA expression in
male European starlings.
Professional Development
2020 — Academic Lab Management and Leadership Symposium. Two-week program by Torrey Pines Training Consortium.
2019-2020 — Socially Just Science collective.
Jan 2019 — Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science Workshop.
Fall 2016 — Improv to Improve Teaching and Communication. Eight-week seminar.
Spring 2016 — Broader Impacts: Public Education, Engagement and Outreach for Animal Research. Graduate student seminar.
Media
Articles
UMass Amherst press release. May 2021
“Songbird Neurons for Advanced Cognition Mirror the Physiology of Mammalian Counterparts”.
https://www.umass.edu/news/article/songbird-neurons-advanced-cognition-mirror
The Science Times. May 2021
“Songbird Neurons Reveals Building Block for Advance Cognition in Birds and Mammals”.
https://www.sciencetimes.com/articles/31182/20210514/songbird-neurons-reveals-building-block-for-advance-cognition-birds-mammals.htm
College of Letters and Natural Science News, University of Wisconsin Madison. Apr 2018
“Defending the nest”.https://ls.wisc.edu/news/defending-the-nest
Interviews
We Know Some Stuff, CFRU 93.3 Jan 2021
“Jeremy has a bird brain”. https://louiscolaruotolo.com/blog/jeremyspool
Science communication and outreach
2019-present — Massachusetts Young Birders Club, co-founder and coordinator. Created structure and received grant funding for a Young Birders Club in Massachusetts. I manage a team of near-peer mentors, recruit and engage club members, form and maintain local partnerships, and manage club activities.
Jun 2022 — Manomet Ornithological Career Fair
Presented to and discussed career options with college students interested in ornithology, highlighting neuroscience and endocrinology research as a possible career choice.
Nov 2021 — BioTap First Year Seminar, career options presentation.
Introduced research as a career option to first year students through sharing my own path and research, and the variety of ways to get involved in research on campus.
2019-2021 — Education subcommittee, Hampshire Bird Club. Providing support for events and organizations that educate and facilitate love and knowledge of birds; diversifying the birding community in Western Massachusetts.
Oct 2019 — Animal Science 101, career options presentation.
Introduced research as a career option to first year students through sharing my own path and research, and the variety of ways to get involved in research on campus.
2018-present — Skype a Scientist. One hour Skype sessions with K-12 classrooms during Fall and Spring semesters to generate connections and dialogue about scientific careers, answer questions about my life and path to science, and share my research.
2019 — Pipettes and Paintbrushes. Collaborated with a local artist to visualize my current research project. Art is scheduled to be showcased for three days on campus in late April 2019, and will be on exhibit at March for Science 2019 in Amherst, MA.
March 2018 — Catalyzing Advocacy in Science and Engineering Workshop. Funded to participate in a nationwide workshop to give scientists tools to engage representatives and the public on science policy issues. Washington D.C.
2016-2017 — Teen Science Cafés. Informal meetings between students in middle or high school and scientists from UW Madison.
2014-2017 — Wisconsin Science festival, Darwin Day, UW Science Expeditions. Participated in three annually recurring public outreach events facilitating a hands-on Zoology “Eat or be Eaten” themed station for all ages.
2014-2015 — Chatting with Scientists. This nine-part video series aimed to dispel common misconceptions about the personalities of scientists by presenting informal interviews with graduate students in several different scientific disciplines on the University of Wisconsin, Madison campus. Directed and edited by Jeremy Spool. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1CaL48atS6LhtKc2bqwGvA.
2014-2015 — Young Science Scholars. Partnered with two elementary school teachers in the Madison Metropolitan School district to enhance and teach inquiry-based science once a week during the school year.
Mentoring
2022 — Durga Bhole, senior undergraduate student, UMass Amherst.
Project title: Immediate early gene analysis of the Social Behavior Network following manipulation of auditory pallium.
2022 – present — Paulina Chen, junior undergraduate student, UMass Amherst.
Project title: Electrophysiological responses of the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus to social auditory stimuli.
2022 – present — Hanna Jiang, freshman undergraduate student, UMass Amherst.
Project title: Designing a system to measure social networks in Zebra finches.
2020-2021 — Britt Mardis. Honors Thesis: Morphology of identified projection and interneuron cell-types in avian pallium.
2019-2020 — Postdoc/PhD candidate mentoring dinners. A monthly mentoring group for dissertating graduate students to discuss postdoctoral positions, alternative career options, and finishing the PhD.
2019-2020 — Nick Ambrosio. Optogenetic inactivation of secondary auditory cortex in awake behaving Zebra finches during an auditory learning task.
2019 — Violet Ivan. Anterograde projections of secondary auditory cortex in Zebra finches.
2018-present — Alexis Payette. Neural correlates of pair cooperation defense strategies in California mice.
2018-present — Lisa Howser. Neural correlates of pair cooperation defense strategies in California mice.
2017-2018 — BioHouse. I serve as a mentor and seminar teaching assistant for a group of first year undergraduates living in a biology-themed dormitory.
2017-2018 — Alice Piepenburg. The effect of nest cavity exploration on cannabinoid-related mRNA in “social behavior network” nuclei of female European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris). The role of opioid agonists in modulating context-dependent vocal communication.
2016 — Natalie Rucks. Changing seasons may alter cells co-expressing dopamine D1 receptors and mu-opioid receptors in the starling hippocampus. Biology 152 independent project.
2015-2016 — Melannie Jay. Effects of environmental breeding cues on gene expression in brain regions involved in sexual motivation in female European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris). Madison Metropolitan School District Scientific Research Internship.
Service
2020-present — Co-organizer, Viruses and Transgenics: Novel tools for More Species
2019-present — Postdoc advisory committee to College of Natural Sciences2018-2020 — Postdoc union representative.
2018-2019 — Organizing committee member, Center for Neuroendocrine Studies Symposium.2017-present — Co-founder, Zoology Introductions for New Graduate students (ZING).
2016-2017 — President, Zoology graduate student organization.
2015-2016 — Outreach chair, Zoology graduate student organization.
Other research experience
2013-2014 — Specimen preparation, Museum of Vertebrate Zoology. Berkeley, CA. Dissected and prepared skeletons and skins for the museum collection.
Fall 2013 — Research volunteer, Bentley lab. Berkeley, CA. Performed double-immunolabeling for GnRH and GnIH peptides in the European starling brain and quantified labeled cells.
Summer 2013 — Field assistant, Lacey lab. Arnold, CA. Followed the nesting behavior of adult Dark-eyed Juncos. Mist-netted, banded, measured, and bled adults and chicks.
Spring 2013 — Senior independent project: Bird habituation to human foot traffic along a gradient. Berkeley, CA. Compared tameness of several species in areas with high vs. low human population and foot traffic.
2012-2013 — Research Assistant, Full lab. Berkeley, CA. High speed video analysis of lizard climbing behavior. Examined reflexes in use of tail morphology to arrest falls.
Spring 2012 — Field assistant, Heron Island and Moreton Bay Research Station. Queensland, AUS. Collected lab and field data on predator defense mechanisms of a spaghetti worm and on the foraging behavior of reef urchins.
Jeremy Spool 