Austin Keeler

Biological Sciences

Austin Keeler

Assistant Professor

abkeeler@udel.edu

302-553-7934

Office: 227 15 Innovation Way

Resources and Links

Keeler Research Website

Education

B.S. - The College of William and Mary
Ph.D. - The University of Iowa
Postdoctoral - The University of Virginia

Research Interests

Neurodevelopment of somatosensory (pain, temperature, and touch) systems. Appreciating a hot coffee requires cycles of neurodevelopmental construction, destruction, and refinement (building neurons, circuits, and synapses) to build the neural systems to feel the hot, smooth cup, take a sip, and taste the bitter, nutty flavor. What does it take to build a functioning brain, then? How does a brain grow to make sure each neuron knows what its job is? For instance, to detect the heat of the mug, the smoothness of the ceramic surface, or the weight of the mug in hand?

Current Projects

1) Use large, high dimensional, protein based, single cell experiments (mass cytometry) to understand how neurons know what kind of neuron to become during development. In other words, what factors culminate in driving an immature neuron into a particular fate that makes them a "pain" or "touch" neuron?

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2) Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nanoscale particles that seemingly all cells produce for diverse purposes. During development, peripheral neurons produce molecularly diverse EVs but their function, especially between molecular types, is poorly understood. We characterize EVs produced by somatosensory neurons in development and adulthood with a focus on the formation, maintenance, and dysfunction of pain, temperature, and touch neurons.

3) In collaboration with Jason Lim (also Biological Sciences), we molecularly profile peripheral neurons and their axonal arbors that innervate knee and temporomandibular joints in health and during osteoarthritis.

4) Build a novel neural activity imaging platform to investigate how pain detection becomes encoded in sensory circuits.

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Media Mentions

Pushing the boundaries of biomolecular sensing

October 21, 2025 | Written by Beth Miller

UD team wins $12.1 million NIH grant to detect, measure and understand biomolecular processes
UD cuts ribbon on ‘science collider’

April 18, 2025 | Written by Beth Miller

Research in Building X convenes experts in brain sciences, behavior, human disease, quantum science
Building X’s economic impact

January 22, 2025 | Written by Jamie Washington

President Assanis and others share Building X’s economic impact and dynamic design at building’s tour