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Dr. Jennifer Krill is a University School Assistant Professor and an Experiential Research Lab Coordinator for Neurophysiology at Â鶹¾«Æ·ÊÓƵHigh School - Jupiter Campus, in partnership with Max Planck Academy. Dr. Krill developed and implemented a course-based, research intensive neurophysiology laboratory that trains students in electrophysiology techniques using invertebrates. The laboratory also serves as a research facility for students to conduct independent research projects under the mentorship of Dr. Krill with the goal of generating publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Dr. Krill, in collaboration with the Center for eLearning, developed and piloted FAU’s first fully online introductory biology course that used a zero-cost Open Educational Resource eText authored by Dr. Krill.

Dr. Krill’s own research investigates the mechanisms to protect the brain during high temperature stress. The common fruit fly is a poikilotherm, meaning that their internal temperature is the same as the environment around them. The fruit fly deals with extreme temperature conditions by going into a protective coma using a biological pathway called the PKG pathway. While humans have the same pathway, we continue our brain function during extreme temperature stress and, as a result, can incur brain damage. By determining the mechanism by which the pathway protects the brains of fruit flies, we can try and develop a pharmaceutical intervention to prevent brain damage due to acute stress in humans.