CV

A PDF version of my CV can be found here.

Education

• PhD in Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Harvard University, 2019
• MPhil in Biological Science, University of Cambridge, 2014
• MSc (with Distinction) in Applied Statistics, University of Oxford, 2012
• BA (with Honors) in Biology and Economics, University of Chicago, 2010

Research experience

• Dr. Yoav Gilad (2020-present)
  • University of Chicago
• Dr. Stephen Liberles (2014-2019)
  • Harvard Medical School, HHMI
• Dr. Matthew Waldor (2014)
  • Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, HHMI
• Dr. Sandeep Robert Datta (2013-2014)
  • Harvard Medical School
• Dr. Craig Hunter (2013)
  • Harvard University
• Dr. Rob White (2012-2013)
  • University of Cambridge
• Dr. Daniel Wilson (2012)
  • University of Oxford
• Drs. Anthony Comuzzie and V. Saroja Voruganti (2011)
  • Texas Biomedical Research Institute
• Dr. Jerrold Turner (2009-2011)
  • University of Chicago
• Dr. Rustem Ismagilov (2007)
  • University of Chicago

Awards

• University of Chicago BSD CAP Award (2022)
• NRSA F31 Fellowship, NIH, F31 HL132645 (2016-2019)
• Cell and Developmental Biology Training Grant, 5T32GM007226 (2014-2015)
• Marshall Scholarship (2011-2013)
• Phi Beta Kappa (2010)
• Student Marshal, University of Chicago (2009-2010)

Publications

Oxygen-induced stress reveals context-specific gene regulatory effects in human brain organoids

Benjamin D Umans and Yoav Gilad (2024). "Oxygen-induced stress reveals context-specific gene regulatory effects in human brain organoids" bioRxiv. 2024.09.03.611030.

Vagal TRPV1+ sensory neurons regulate myeloid cell dynamics and protect against influenza virus infection

Daping Yang, Nicole Almanzar, Jingya Xia, Swalpa Udit, Stephen T Yeung, Camille Khairallah, Daisy A Hoagland, Benjamin D Umans, Nicole Sarden, Ozge Erdogan, Nadia Baalbaki, Anna Beekmayer-Dhillon, Juhyun Lee, Kimberly A Meerschaert, Stephen D Liberles, Bryan G Yipp, Ruth A Franklin, Kamal M Khanna, Pankaj Baral, Adam L Haber, Isaac M Chiu. (2024). "Vagal TRPV1+ sensory neurons regulate myeloid cell dynamics and protect against influenza virus infection" bioRxiv. 2024.08.21.609013.

Where Are the Disease-Associated eQTLs?

B. D. Umans, A. Battle, and Y. Gilad. (2021). "Where Are the Disease-Associated eQTLs?" Trends in Genetics. 37(2) 109-124.

An Airway Protection Program Revealed by Sweeping Genetic Control of Vagal Afferents

S. L. Prescott*, B. D. Umans*, E. K. Williams, R. D. Brust, and S. D. Liberles. (2020). "An Airway Protection Program Revealed by Sweeping Genetic Control of Vagal Afferents." Cell. 181(3) 574-589.e14.

Neural Sensing of Organ Volume

B. D. Umans and S. D. Liberles. (2018). "Neural Sensing of Organ Volume." Trends in Neurosciences. 41(12) 911-924.

Nociceptor sensory neurons suppress neutrophil and γδ T cell responses in bacterial lung infections and lethal pneumonia

P. Baral, B. D. Umans, L. Li, A. Wallrapp, M. Bist, T. Kirschbaum, Y. Wei, Y. Zhou, V. K. Kuchroo, P. R. Burkett, B. G. Yipp, S. D. Liberles, and I. M. Chiu. (2018). "Nociceptor sensory neurons suppress neutrophil and γδ T cell responses in bacterial lung infections and lethal pneumonia." Nature Medicine. 24(4) 417-426.

Regions of very low H3K27me3 partition the Drosophila genome into topological domains

S. El-Sharnouby, B. Fischer, J. P. Magbanua, B. Umans, R. Flower, S. W. Choo, S. Russell, and R. White. (2017). "Regions of very low H3K27me3 partition the Drosophila genome into topological domains." PLoS ONE. 12(3) e0172725.

Genetic Determinants of Penicillin Tolerance in Vibrio cholerae

A. I. Weaver, S. G. Murphy, B. D. Umans, S. Tallavajhala, I. Onyekwere, S. Wittels, J.-H. Shin, M. VanNieuwenhze, M. K. Waldor, and T. Dörr. (2016). "Genetic Determinants of Penicillin Tolerance in Vibrio cholerae." Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. 62(10):e01326-18

A Transposon Screen Identifies Genetic Determinants of Vibrio cholerae Resistance to High-Molecular-Weight Antibiotics

T. Dörr, F. Delgado, B. D. Umans, M. A. Gerding, B. M. Davis, and M. K. Waldor. (2016). "A Transposon Screen Identifies Genetic Determinants of Vibrio cholerae Resistance to High-Molecular-Weight Antibiotics." Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. 60(8) 4757-4763.

Predictive MRI correlates of lesser metatarsophalangeal joint plantar plate tear

R. L. Umans, B. D. Umans, H. Umans, and E. Elsinger. (2016). "Predictive MRI correlates of lesser metatarsophalangeal joint plantar plate tear." Skeletal Radiology. 45(7) 969-975.

Sensory Neurons that Detect Stretch and Nutrients in the Digestive System

E. K. Williams, R. B. Chang, D. E. Strochlic, B. D. Umans, B. B. Lowell, and S. D. Liberles. (2016). "Sensory Neurons that Detect Stretch and Nutrients in the Digestive System." Cell. 166(1) 209-221.

Fatty acids linked to cardiovascular mortality are associated with risk factors

S. O. E. Ebbesson, V. S. Voruganti, P. B. Higgins, R. R. Fabsitz, L. O. Ebbesson, S. Laston, W. S. Harris, J. Kennish, B. D. Umans, H. Wang, R. B. Devereux, P. M. Okin, N. J. Weissman, J. W. MacCluer, J. G. Umans, and B. V. Howard. (2015). “"Fatty acids linked to cardiovascular mortality are associated with risk factors." International Journal of Circumpolar Health 74(1).

Vagal Sensory Neuron Subtypes that Differentially Control Breathing

R. B. Chang, D. E. Strochlic, E. K. Williams, B. D. Umans, and S. D. Liberles. (2015). "Vagal Sensory Neuron Subtypes that Differentially Control Breathing." Cell. 161(3) 622–633.

Talks

Genetic Variation Influencing Brain Oxygen Stress Responses Contributes to Disease Risk

August 12, 2024

Talk at Midwest Society for Developmental Biology, Madison, Wisconsin

Sensory neuron populations contributing to airway protection

March 11, 2019

Invited talk at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary Laryngology Research Rounds, Boston, Massachusetts

Deciphering sensory signals of the vagus nerve

February 28, 2018

Invited talk at MURI (Army Research Office): Dissecting microbiome-gut-brain circuits for microbial modulation of host cognition in response to diet and stress, Pasadena, California

Mapping Chromatin Interactions in the Drosophila Genome

June 25, 2013

Talk at Department of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience, Cambridge, UK

Teaching

• University of Chicago, Section of Genetic Medicine
  • Mentored two graduate students and one technician
• Harvard Medical School, Department of Cell Biology
  • Mentored one graduate student and two technicians, as well as training new postdoctoral fellows in surgical and physiological measurement techniques
  • Trained researchers from the laboratories of Elaine Hsiao (UCLA) and Tom Rapoport (Harvard Medical School, HHMI) in experimental techniques, and provided ongoing technical guidance to researchers at UCLA and the Institut Pasteur
  • Guest lecturer for “Introduction to Histology for Graduate Students” course (2016-2017)
• Harvard College
  • Tutor in statistics and biology (2013-2015)

Academic service and leadership

• Reviewer (Cell Reports, Annals of the American Thoracic Society) (2021-present)
• Department of Human Genetics Postdoctoral Liaison (2021-present)
• Leadership and Management in Action Program for Postdocs (2021)
• Entrepreneurship for Science and Medicine, Booth School of Business (2021)
• Admissions Committee, Harvard Biological and Biomedical Sciences PhD Program (2015-2017)
• Conduct of Science Steering Committee. Harvard University Division of Medical Sciences (2015)