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Douglas Blackiston
Address: Tufts University Department of Biology &
Wyss Institute at Harvard University
200 Boston Ave suite4600
Medford, MA 02155
E-mail: douglas.blackiston@tufts.edu
Website: https://www.douglasblackiston.com
POSITIONS AND EDUCATION
2019 –Present Visiting Scholar, Principal Investigator
Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering
Harvard University
2018 –Present Principal Scientist, Principal Investigator
Allen Discovery Center, Department of Biology
Tufts University
2015 – 2018 Senior Scientist
Allen Discovery Center, Department of Biology
Tufts University
2012 – 2015 Post-Doctoral Fellow
Department of Biology
Tufts University
2007 – 2011 Post-Doctoral Fellow
The Forsyth Institute, Harvard Medical School
Center for Regenerative and Developmental Biology
2002 – 2007 Ph.D., Biology
Georgetown University, Washington DC
Dr. Martha Weiss and Dr. Elena Silva, Advisors.
Thesis: Learning and memory in larval and adult Lepidoptera
2002 Bachelor of Science, Biological Sciences (Minor: Education)
McDaniel College, Westminster, MD
Howard Hughes Research Fellow
PUBLICATIONS
27. Blackiston, D., Dromiack, H., Grasso, C., Varley, T., Moore, D., Srinivasan, K., Sporns, O., Bongard, J., Levin, M., Walker, S. (2025). Revealing non-trivial information structures in aneural biological tissues via functional connectivity. PLoS Computational Biology. (in press).
26. Blackiston, D., Levin, M. (2024). Reversals of bodies, brain, and behavior: quantitative analysis of laterality and its disturbance in model species. Neuromethods. (217), 707-739.
25. Blackiston, D., Kriegman, S., Bongard, J., & Levin, M. (2023). Biological Robots: Perspectives on an Emerging Interdisciplinary Field. Soft Robotics. 10.1089/soro.2022.0142.
24. Kudithipudi, D., Anguilar-Simon, M., Babb, J., Bazhenov, M., Blackiston, D.,… et. al. (+38 others). (2022). Biological underpinnings for lifelong learning machines. Nature Machine Intelligence. 4 (3), 196-210.
23. Kriegman, S. *, Blackiston, D. *, Levin, M., Bongard, J. (2021). Kinematic self-replication in reconfigurable organisms. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 118 (49).
*co-first author
22. Blackiston, D., Lederer, E., Kriegman, S., Bongard, J., Levin, M. (2021). A cellular platform for the development of synthetic living machines. Science Robotics 6.52 (2021).
21. Kriegman, S. *, Blackiston, D. *, Levin, M., Bongard, J. (2020). A scalable pipeline for designing reconfigurable organisms. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. (4) 1853-1859.
*co-first author
20. Blackiston, D., Vien, K., Levin, M. (2018). Serotonergic stimulation induces nerve growth and promotes visual learning following posterior eye grafts in Xenopus tadpoles. Nature Regenerative Medicine. 2 (1),8.
19. Blackiston, D., Levin, M. (2017). Reversals of bodies, brain, and behavior: quantitative analysis of laterality and its disturbance in model species. Neuromethods. 667-694.
18. Morokuma, J., Durant, F., Williams, K.B., Finkelstein, J.M, Blackiston, D., Clements, T., Reed, D., Roberts, M., Jain, M., Kimel, K., Trauger, S., Wolfe, B., Levin, M. (2017). Planarian regeneration in space: persistent anatomical, behavioral, and bacteriological changes induced by space travel. Regeneration. 4 (2), 85-102.
17. Rothman, G.*, Blackiston, D.*, Levin, M. (2016). Color and intensity discrimination in Xenopus laevis tadpoles. Animal Cognition. 19(5): 911-919
*co-first author with mentored undergraduate
16. Blackiston, D., Shomrat, T., Levin, M. (2015). The stability of memories during brain remodeling: a perspective. Communicative and Integrative Biology. 8(5): e1073424
15. Lobikin, M., Lobo, D., Blackiston, D., Martynuik, C.J., Tkachenko, E., Levin, M. (2015). Serotonergic regulation of melanocyte conversion: a bioelectric network explains stochastic all-or-none hyperpigmentation. Science Signaling. 8(397): ra99.
14. Blackiston, D., Anderson, G., Rahman, N., Bieck, C., Levin, M. (2015). A novel method for inducing nerve growth via modulation of host resting potential: gap junction-mediated and serotonergic signaling mechanisms. Neurotherapeutics. 12(1): 170-184.
13. Vandenberg, L., Blackiston, D., Rea, A., Dore, T., Levin, M. (2014) Left-right patterning in Xenopus conjoined twin embryos requires serotonin signaling and gap junctions. International Journal of Developmental Biology. doi: 10.1387/ijdb.140215ml.
12. Blackiston, D., Levin, M. (2013). Inversion of left-right asymmetry alters performance of Xenopus tadpoles in non-lateralized cognitive tasks. Animal Behaviour. 86(2): 459-466.
11. Blackiston, D., Levin, M. (2013). Ectopic eyes outside the head in Xenopus tadpoles provide sensory data for light-mediated learning. Journal of Experimental Biology. 216(6): 1031-1040.
10. Pai, V.P., Vandenberg, L.N., Blackiston, D., Levin, M. (2012). Neurally derived tissues in Xenopus laevis embryos exhibit a consistent bioelectrical left-right asymmetry. Stem Cells International. 2012:353491
9. Blackiston, D., Levin, M. (2011). Aversive training methods in Xenopus laevis: general principles. Cold Spring Harbor Protocols. doi 10.1101/pdb.top068338.
8. Blackiston, D., Shomrat, T., Granta, C., Levin, M. (2011). A second-generation device for automated training and quantitative behavior analyses of molecularly tractable model organisms. PLoS ONE. 5(12):e14370.
7. Blackiston, D., Briscoe, A., Weiss, M. (2011). Color vision and learning in the monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus (Nymphalidae). Journal of Experimental Biology. 214(3): 509-520.
6. Blackiston, D., Adams, D., Lemire, J., Levin, M. (2010). Transmembrane voltage gradient in GlyR-expressing niche cells controls behavior of neural crest derivatives in vivo. Disease Models and Mechanisms. 4(1):67-85.
5. Blackiston, D., Vandenberg, L., Levin, M. (2010). High throughput Xenopus laevis immunohistochemistry using agarose sections. Cold Spring Harbor Protocols. doi: 10.1101/pdb.prot5532.
4. Blackiston, D., McLaughlin, K., Levin, M. (2009). Bioelectric controls of cell proliferation: Ion channels, membrane voltage, and the cell cycle. Cell Cycle 8(21): 3519-3528
3. Morokuma, J., Blackiston, D., Adams, D., Seebohm, G., Trimmer, B., Levin, M. (2008). Modulation of KCNQ1 and KCNE1 K+ channel function induces a neoplastic phenotype in melanocytes. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 105(43):16608-13
2. Blackiston, D., Silva Casey, E., Weiss, M. (2008). Persistence of memory through metamorphosis in Manduca sexta. PLoS ONE. 3(3): e1736
1. Morokuma, J., Blackiston, D., Levin, M. (2008). KCNQ1 and KCNE1 K+ channel components are involved in early left-right patterning in Xenopus laevis embryos. Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry. 21(5-6):357-72.
RESEARCH SUPPORT (Total awarded funding: $11,389,721 Total awarded to DB: $7,372,096)
NSF Foundational Research in Robotics, (2331580), 2024-2027
D. Blackiston & S. Kriegman. Modular Biological Robots with Variable Morphology
Role: Principal Investigator
Total Funds: $814,605, Blackiston portion: $400,696
DoD RDT&E, Network C3I, (BAA CRREL-23-0001), 2023-2027
J. Bongard, D. Blackiston, M. Levin, CRREL. Biological Sensors for Remote Environments
Role: Co-Principal Investigator
Total Funds: $8,448,485, Blackiston portion: $6,219,769
Sloan Foundation Matter to Life, (G-2021-16495) 2022-2024
D. Ingber, D. Blackiston, J. Bongard, M. Levin, W. Shih, W. Wong, P. Yin. Principles of molecular and cellular self-organization.
Role: Co-Principal Investigator (senior personnel phase I, Co-I phase II)
Total Funds: $1,500,000
Berggruen Institute, 2023-2024, pending
D. Blackiston & C Sinders. Human/Embodied Machine Interactions (interactive program development)
Role: Principal Investigator
Total Funds: $36,500
Copernicus Science Center in Warsaw (944/KEI/2022/E), 2023
D. Blackiston. Human 2.0 Exhibition: The Future is Today
Role: Principal Investigator
Total Funds: $4,851
Diverse Intelligences Initiative (TWCF0552), 2021-2023
D. Blackiston. Engineered behavior and swarm dynamics in synthetic multicellular systems. Funding transferred due to COI.
Role: Principal Investigator
Total Funds: $234,000
DARPA L2M Program, 2018-2022
M. Levin, J. Bongard., S. Walker. Somatic computation via bioelectricity for novel life-time learning machines
Role: Co-Author, Senior Personnel
Total Funds: $1,900,000
The Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group, 2015-2020
Reading and writing the morphogenetic code
Role: Primary Scientist, Participant Only
Total Funds: $10,000,000
NIH R01 Research Project Grant (5R01MH081842-02), 2010
M. Levin. Automated analysis of learning and memory for neuro-developmental studies.
Role: Co-Author, Senior Personnel
Total Funds: $1,151,250
NIH F32 Individual National Research Service Award (1F32NS060654-01A1), 2009
D. Blackiston. Effects of CNS asymmetry inversion on zebrafish and Xenopus learning and memory.
Role: Principal Investigator
Total Funds: $200,370
NIH T32 Institutional National Research Service Award (5T32DE007327-09), 2007
D. Blackiston. Depolarization of membrane potential induces a neoplastic phenotype in melanocytes
Role: Principal Investigator
Total Funds: $187,410
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Independent Course Instructor, Tufts University
BIO52: Experiments in Cell Biology (14 students)
Course evaluations (1-5 scale, poor-excellent):
Accomplishing Objectives: 4.71 (Excellent), Use of Time: 4.71 (Excellent), Instructors Organization: 4.57 (Excellent), Explaining Ideas: 4.71 (Excellent), Timeliness of Feedback: 4.57 (Excellent), Usefulness of Feedback: 4.29 (Very Good), Communication: 4.71 (Excellent), Overall Quality: 4.57 (Excellent)
BIO196: Investigations in Cell and Developmental Biology (16 students)
Course evaluations (1-5 scale, poor-excellent):
Accomplishing objectives: 4.75 (Excellent), Use of Time: 4.69 (Excellent), Out of Class Activities: 4.81 (Excellent), Course Interest: 4.81 (Excellent), Overall Quality: 4.78 (Excellent)
Team Taught Course Instructor, Tufts University
BIO184: Special Topics in Developmental Biology (14 students,)
Topics: Role of cellular physiology in development
Laboratories in motion: see science in action
Quantifying learning and memory in aquatic vertebrates
Melanocyte development and migration in Xenopus laevis
Introduction to biostatistics: non-parametric and parametric analysis
Teaching Assistant, Georgetown University
BIOL373: Developmental Biology (25 students)
BIOL375: Plant Animal Interactions (20 students)
BIOL104: Foundations in Biology (175 students)
Education Team Member – Reducing Attrition Among Minority Biology Majors
Georgetown team member at Science Education for New Civic Engagements (SENCER) summer institute (2003). Investigated the attrition of minority scholars in Georgetown University’s Biology major. Developed a new onboarding program, enhanced existing mentorship opportunities, developed tracking statistics for minority scholars, worked with collaborators at Howard University, and performed outreach with local D.C. area high schools.
Public School Teaching, Secondary Education
Westminster High School, Maryland, 2001 – co-instructed freshman chemistry under faculty supervision
Westminster Middle School, Maryland, 2001 – independently taught two sections of 7th grade biology
Student Mentoring
Gabe Zimbler, Senior 2025 – Effects of RO species on amphibian embryogenesis
Ethan Walsey, Senior 2024 – innate immunity in developing Xenopus ectoderm.
Max Rubenstein, HS student, class of 2024, FLHS Research Program – Effect of buoyancy on developing epidermis self-organization
Longan Su, Junior 2022 – Development of multi-ciliated cells in 2d and 3d culture
Melanie Chien, Senior Thesis 2021 – Self-assembly of multiciliated cells in developing Xenopus ectoderm.
Emma Lederer, Research Technician 2020 - Leveraging Xenopus tissues to develop biomachines
- published, first author on manuscript
Daniel Lukason, Graduate Student – Central nervous system repair in Xenopus embryos
Sajani Clerk, Sophomore 2018 - Regeneration of optic nerve following mechanical damage and light induced retinal toxicity
Lauren Clore, Sophomore 2018 - Behavior and information processing in engineered tissues
Khanh Vein, Sophomore 2015 – The effects of embryonic SSRI exposure on vertebrate cognition
- published, co-author on manuscript
Dylan Murphy, Senior 2015 – Bioelectric control of muscle regeneration in Xenopus laevis
Gabriel Rothman, Junior 2014 – Memory retention and extinction in Xenopus tadpoles
- published, first author on manuscript
Nikita Rahman, Senior 2013 – Role of embryonic serotonin on axon guidance
- published, co-author on manuscript
Clara Bieck, undergraduate 2010-2013 – Role of bio-electricity in eye innervation
- published, co-author on manuscript
Nidhi Chillara, Junior 2013 – Associative learning in planarian flatworms
Mary Rose Branch, High School Student 2010-2012 – Regeneration and learning in axolotls
Sarah Carpenter, Senior 2011 – Motion tracking algorithms and data analysis
Garrett Friedman, Sophomore 2010 – Eye regeneration in Xenopus laevis embryos
Rebecca DiBiasi, Sophomore 2010 – Visual learning in Xenopus tadpoles
Ashley Amick, Senior Thesis Student, class of 2006 – Appetitive learning in Manduca sexta
Selected as one of five students for a department-wide seminar, passed with distinction
INVITED TALKS AND CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
2025 National Academy of Sciences. Irvine, CA. From organisms to superorganisms: major transitions in biological complexity.
2024 National Science Foundation, Intelligent Robotics and Autonomous Systems. Dovetailing developmental biology and robotics to design organic machines.
2024 National Academy of Sciences, Kavli Frontiers of Science Symposium. Irvine, CA. From modular organisms to living machines: the plasticity of life.
2024 Robosoft. San Diego, CA. Leveraging developmental biology and AI-assisted predictions to build new classes of organic machines at several size scales
2023 Keynote speaker. Boston College Biology Retreat. Portsmouth, NH. Modular organisms: the plasticity of biological form
2023 Materials Research Society. Boston, MA. Modular biomachines built from amphibian stem cells.
2023 Keynote speaker. Berggruen Institute, Academy of Arts and Sciences, Cambridge MA. The futures of life.
2022 Elmira College Lecture Series in the Sciences, Invited Speaker. Using A.I. and developmental biology to engineer biological machines
2022 Materials Research Society. Boston, MA. Computer designed organisms built from embryonic amphibian cells
2022 Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator (GESDA). Geneva, Switzerland. Science breakthrough radar.
2021 Society for Developmental Biology. Virtual Meeting. Computer designed organisms built from embryonic amphibian cells.
2020 Massachusetts Life Science Innovations. Boston, MA (virtual meeting). Living machines built from amphibian stem cells.
2020 Society for Developmental Biology. Chicao, IL (virtual meeting). Computer designed living machines built from amphibian stem cells.
2019 Electronics Resurgence Initiative Summit, DARPA P.I. Meeting. Invited speaker. Detroit, MI. A scalable pipeline for designing reconfigurable lifeforms
2019 Society for Developmental Biology. Boston, MA. Exploring the brain-body interface: animals with ectopic eyes as models for CNS plasticity, development, and regenerative medicine.
2018 DARPA Lifetime Learning Machines (L2M) P.I. Meeting, Invited speaker. Washington, DC. Control of patterning and behavior of in vivo cellular automata.
2016 Society for Developmental Biology. Boston, MA. Serotonergic pathways and membrane potential promote innervation of eye grafts in Xenopus tadpoles.
2016 Tufts University Medical School, Invited seminar speaker. A novel method for inducing nerve growth and innervation control: serotonergic signaling mechanisms.
2015 University of Massachusetts Amherst, Invited Seminar Speaker. Exploring the cognitive effects of CNS alterations in Xenopus tadpoles.
2014 McDaniel College, Invited Seminar Speaker. Coming full circle, research from the perspective of a liberal arts background.
2013 Society for Developmental Biology, Northeast. Woods Hole, MA. Plasticity of the brain-body interface: ectopic eyes placed onto tadpole tails confer functional vision.
2012 Elmira University, Invited Seminar Speaker. Plasticity of the vertebrate nervous system.
2011 Society for Developmental Biology. Chicago, IL. Automated training and quantitative behavior analysis of molecularly-tractable model organisms.
2010 Society for Developmental Biology. Albuquerque, NM. Transmembrane voltage gradient in GlyR-expressing niche cells controls behavior of neural crest derivatives in vivo.
2009 Society for Developmental Biology. San Francisco, CA. Control of embryonic stem cell proliferation and migration can be controlled in vivo by pharmacological modulation of endogenous ion channels.
2009 NIH NIDCR Annual Research Training Session, Invited Seminar Speaker. Control of embryonic stem cell proliferation and migration can be controlled in vivo by pharmacological modulation of endogenous ion channels.
2006 Society for Developmental Biology. Ann Arbor, MI. Memory through metamorphosis in Manduca sexta.
2005 Lepidopterist Society. Sierra Vista, AZ. Can a caterpillar learn something a moth will remember?
2005 Society for Developmental Biology. San Francisco, CA. Effect of larval conditioning on adult Manduca sexta behavior.
2005 NIH Zfig, Invited Speaker. Memory through metamorphosis in Manduca sexta.
2005 Georgetown University Department of Biology Seminar Series. Blackiston’s monster; survival of memory through metamorphosis in Manduca sexta.
2004 Lepidopterist Society. College Park, MD. Color learning in Monarch butterflies.
2004 Georgetown University Department of Biology Seminar Series. Learning and memory in two species of Lepidoptera.
2003 Georgetown University Department of Biology Seminar Series. Color learning in the Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus).
AWARDS
2024 National Academy of Sciences Kavli Fellow
2024 Museum Exhibit, Grunwald Gallery of Art “Blurring the Lines”
2024 Polaris Dawn Biological Payload (shuttle mission)
2023 Museum Exhibit, Copernicus Science Centre “Human 2.0”
2023 Visions of the Wyss Award Winner
2022 Outstanding Paper of the Year, ALIFE
2022 Museum Exhibit, CCCB Barcelona “BRAINS”
2022 Museum Exhibit, MARTa Herford “Organic and Non-organic Lifeforms”
2021 Cozzarelli Prize Recipient – Awarded by the National Academy of Sciences for the most impactful research in engineering and applied sciences
2021 Altmetric top 100 scientist
2021 Outstanding Paper of the Year Award by The International Society for Artificial Life
2020 Top 10 most influential BioTech Projects, Project Management Institute
2020 Museum Exhibit, Design Museum of London – Beazley Designs of the Year
2020 New York Times – Science Frontpage Feature
2019 Wyss Institute Technology and Research Award Winner
2016 Tufts Vision Scientist, Tufts Medical School
2013 Best Scientific Talk Award, SDB Northeast Meeting
2009 NIH F32 Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award, Tufts University
2007 NIH T32 Training Grant Recipient, Forsyth Institute, Harvard University
2006 Outstanding Graduate Student in Biology Award, Georgetown University
2006 Runner-up, Best Student Poster SDB National Meeting
2005 National Denali Award Recipient
2005 Best Student Talk, Lepidopterists Society National Meeting
2004 Graduate School Assistantship, Georgetown University
2003 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Honorary Mention
2002 Howard Hughes Research Fellow
1998 Rotary Scholarship
SELECTED PRESS HIGHLIGHTS
New York Times Interview: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/03/science/xenobots-robots-frogs-xenopus.html
Scientific American Special: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WyWFAS96ac
BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4181197.stm
CNN: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_pFkP1PL8w&feature=emb_logo
Engadget: https://www.engadget.com/2020-01-15-uvm-tufts-living-robots-xenobots.html
Gizmodo: https://gizmodo.com/made-entirely-from-cells-these-adorable-xenobots-are-1840996434
The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2020/jan/13/scientists-use-stem-cells-from-frogs-to-build-first-living-robots
The Scientist: https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/algorithm-designs-robots-using-frog-cells-66961
Smithsonian: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/scientists-assemble-frog-stem-cells-first-living-machines-180973947/
Wired: https://www.wired.com/story/xenobot/
AFFILIATIONS, MEMBERSHIPS, AND SERVICE
National Academy of Sciences, Kavli Frontiers of Science Fellow
The Wyss Institute at Harvard University Visiting Scholar
Society for Developmental Biology
Materials Research Society
American Association of Colleges and Universities
Boston Scholars Program Member