Faculty Profiles - SEMMELHACK Julie | The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Julie SEMMELHACK

PhD in Biology
University of California, San Diego, 2009

Assistant Professor
Division of Life Science
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering

(852) 3469 2677
jsemmelhack@ust.hk
Room 5507A
Personal Web

Google Scholar

KSJmVb4AAAAJ

ORCID

0000-0002-8154-264X

Scopus ID

56695338700

Research Interest Publications Projects Teaching Assignment RPG Supervision Space used

Research Interest

Neurobiology and neurosciences
Neural circuit
Sensory neurobiology

Publications

All Years 13 2025 1 2024 3 2023 2 2022 0 2021 0 2020 2 2019 5

2025 1

The visuomotor transformations underlying target-directed behavior

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, v. 122, (13), April 2025, article number e2416215122
Zhao, Peixiong; Tong, Yuxin; Lazarte, Ivan Alex Priela; Khan, Biswadeep; Tian, Guangnan; Chen, Kenny K. Y.; Lam, Thomas Ka Chung; Hu, Yu; Semmelhack, Julia Lee
Article

2024 3

Parental thermal conditions affect the brain activity response to alarm cue in larval zebrafish

PeerJ Computer Science, v. 12, (10), October 2024, article number e18241
Sourisse, Jade M.; Semmelhack, Julia Lee; Schunter, Celia
Article

Protocol for using UV stimuli to evoke prey capture strikes in head-fixed zebrafish larvae

STAR Protocols, v. 5, (1), March 2024, article number 102780
Khan, Biswadeep; Lazarte, Ivan Alex Priela; Jaesiri, On-mongkol; Zhao, Peixiong; Semmelhack, Julia Lee L.
Article

The roles of blur and eye convergence in distance estimation in larval zebrafish

Journal of Neurogenetics, v. 38, (4), December 2024, p. 195-200
Khan, Biswadeep; Semmelhack, Julia Lee
Article

2023 2

Warming affects routine swimming activity and novel odour response in larval zebrafish

Scientific Reports, v. 13, (1), December 2023, article number 21075
Sourisse, Jade M.; Bonzi, Lucrezia C.; Semmelhack, Julia Lee; Schunter, Celia
Article

Zebrafish larvae use stimulus intensity and contrast to estimate distance to prey

Current Biology, v. 33, (15), August 2023, p. 3179-3191
Khan, Biswadeep; Jaesiri, On-mongkol; Lazarte, Ivan Alex Priela; Li, Yang; Tian, Guangnan; Zhao, Peixiong; Zhao, Yicheng; Ho, Viet Duc; Semmelhack, Julia Lee
Article

2020 2

Deconstructing Hunting Behavior Reveals a Tightly Coupled Stimulus-Response Loop

Current Biology, v. 30, (1), January 2020, p. 54-69.E9
Mearns, Duncan S.; Donovan, Joseph C.; Fernandes, Antonio M.; Semmelhack, Julia Lee; Baier, Herwig
Article

Zebrafish Retinal Ganglion Cells Asymmetrically Encode Spectral and Temporal Information across Visual Space

Current Biology, v. 30, (15), 3 August 2020, p. 2927-2942.e7
Zhou, Mingyi; Bear, John Edward; Roberts, Paul A.; Janiak, Filip K.; Semmelhack, Julia Lee; Yoshimatsu, Takeshi; Baden, Tom
Article

2015 1

A Visual Pathway for Looming-Evoked Escape in Larval Zebrafish

Current Biology, v. 25, (14), July 2015, p. 1823-1834
Temizer, Incinur; Donovan, Joseph C.; Baier, Herwig; Semmelhack, Julie Lee
Article

2014 1

A Dedicated Visual Pathway for Prey Detection in Larval Zebrafish

eLife, v. 3, 2014
Semmelhack, Julie Lee; Donovan, Joseph C.; Thiele, Tod Rogers; Kuehn, Enrico; Laurell, Eva; Baier, Herwig
Article

2009 1

Select Drosophila Glomeruli Mediate Innate Olfactory Attraction and Aversion

Nature, v. 459, (7244), 2009, p. 218-223
Semmelhack, Julie Lee; Wang, Jing W.
Article

2007 1

Propagation of Olfactory Information in Drosophila

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, v. 104, (28), 2007, p. 11826-11831
Root, Cory M.; Semmelhack, Julie Lee; Wong, Allen; Flores, Jorge Antonio; Wang, Jing W.
Article

2001 1

The LuxS-dependent Autoinducer Al-2 Controls the Expression of an ABC Transporter that Functions in Al-2 Uptake in Salmonella Typhimurium

Molecular Microbiology, v. 42, (3), 2001, p. 777-793
Taga, Michiko E.; Semmelhack, Julie Lee; Bassler, Bonnie L.
Article

Article 1

The visuomotor transformations underlying target-directed behavior

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, v. 122, (13), April 2025, article number e2416215122
Zhao, Peixiong; Tong, Yuxin; Lazarte, Ivan Alex Priela; Khan, Biswadeep; Tian, Guangnan; Chen, Kenny K. Y.; Lam, Thomas Ka Chung; Hu, Yu; Semmelhack, Julia Lee

Article 3

Parental thermal conditions affect the brain activity response to alarm cue in larval zebrafish

PeerJ Computer Science, v. 12, (10), October 2024, article number e18241
Sourisse, Jade M.; Semmelhack, Julia Lee; Schunter, Celia

Protocol for using UV stimuli to evoke prey capture strikes in head-fixed zebrafish larvae

STAR Protocols, v. 5, (1), March 2024, article number 102780
Khan, Biswadeep; Lazarte, Ivan Alex Priela; Jaesiri, On-mongkol; Zhao, Peixiong; Semmelhack, Julia Lee L.

The roles of blur and eye convergence in distance estimation in larval zebrafish

Journal of Neurogenetics, v. 38, (4), December 2024, p. 195-200
Khan, Biswadeep; Semmelhack, Julia Lee

Article 2

Warming affects routine swimming activity and novel odour response in larval zebrafish

Scientific Reports, v. 13, (1), December 2023, article number 21075
Sourisse, Jade M.; Bonzi, Lucrezia C.; Semmelhack, Julia Lee; Schunter, Celia

Zebrafish larvae use stimulus intensity and contrast to estimate distance to prey

Current Biology, v. 33, (15), August 2023, p. 3179-3191
Khan, Biswadeep; Jaesiri, On-mongkol; Lazarte, Ivan Alex Priela; Li, Yang; Tian, Guangnan; Zhao, Peixiong; Zhao, Yicheng; Ho, Viet Duc; Semmelhack, Julia Lee

Article 2

Deconstructing Hunting Behavior Reveals a Tightly Coupled Stimulus-Response Loop

Current Biology, v. 30, (1), January 2020, p. 54-69.E9
Mearns, Duncan S.; Donovan, Joseph C.; Fernandes, Antonio M.; Semmelhack, Julia Lee; Baier, Herwig

Zebrafish Retinal Ganglion Cells Asymmetrically Encode Spectral and Temporal Information across Visual Space

Current Biology, v. 30, (15), 3 August 2020, p. 2927-2942.e7
Zhou, Mingyi; Bear, John Edward; Roberts, Paul A.; Janiak, Filip K.; Semmelhack, Julia Lee; Yoshimatsu, Takeshi; Baden, Tom

Article 1

A Visual Pathway for Looming-Evoked Escape in Larval Zebrafish

Current Biology, v. 25, (14), July 2015, p. 1823-1834
Temizer, Incinur; Donovan, Joseph C.; Baier, Herwig; Semmelhack, Julie Lee

Article 1

A Dedicated Visual Pathway for Prey Detection in Larval Zebrafish

eLife, v. 3, 2014
Semmelhack, Julie Lee; Donovan, Joseph C.; Thiele, Tod Rogers; Kuehn, Enrico; Laurell, Eva; Baier, Herwig

Article 1

Select Drosophila Glomeruli Mediate Innate Olfactory Attraction and Aversion

Nature, v. 459, (7244), 2009, p. 218-223
Semmelhack, Julie Lee; Wang, Jing W.

Article 1

Propagation of Olfactory Information in Drosophila

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, v. 104, (28), 2007, p. 11826-11831
Root, Cory M.; Semmelhack, Julie Lee; Wong, Allen; Flores, Jorge Antonio; Wang, Jing W.

Article 1

The LuxS-dependent Autoinducer Al-2 Controls the Expression of an ABC Transporter that Functions in Al-2 Uptake in Salmonella Typhimurium

Molecular Microbiology, v. 42, (3), 2001, p. 777-793
Taga, Michiko E.; Semmelhack, Julie Lee; Bassler, Bonnie L.

2015 1

A Visual Pathway for Looming-Evoked Escape in Larval Zebrafish

Current Biology, v. 25, (14), July 2015, p. 1823-1834
Temizer, Incinur; Donovan, Joseph C.; Baier, Herwig; Semmelhack, Julie Lee
Article

2014 1

A Dedicated Visual Pathway for Prey Detection in Larval Zebrafish

eLife, v. 3, 2014
Semmelhack, Julie Lee; Donovan, Joseph C.; Thiele, Tod Rogers; Kuehn, Enrico; Laurell, Eva; Baier, Herwig
Article

2009 1

Select Drosophila Glomeruli Mediate Innate Olfactory Attraction and Aversion

Nature, v. 459, (7244), 2009, p. 218-223
Semmelhack, Julie Lee; Wang, Jing W.
Article

2007 1

Propagation of Olfactory Information in Drosophila

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, v. 104, (28), 2007, p. 11826-11831
Root, Cory M.; Semmelhack, Julie Lee; Wong, Allen; Flores, Jorge Antonio; Wang, Jing W.
Article

2001 1

The LuxS-dependent Autoinducer Al-2 Controls the Expression of an ABC Transporter that Functions in Al-2 Uptake in Salmonella Typhimurium

Molecular Microbiology, v. 42, (3), 2001, p. 777-793
Taga, Michiko E.; Semmelhack, Julie Lee; Bassler, Bonnie L.
Article

No Publications

Teaching Assignment

2024-25 Spring 2 2024-25 Winter 0 2024-25 Fall 3 2023-24 Summer 1 2023-24 Spring 1 2023-24 Winter 0

LIFS3240	Introduction to Neurobiology
LIFS6111V	Life Science Postgraduate Student Seminar

BIEN5040	Introduction to Neural Engineering
LIFS4961	Biochemistry and Cell Biology Capstone Project
LIFS6112H	Current Topics in Neuroscience

UROP1000

Undergraduate Research Opportunities

LIFS3240

Introduction to Neurobiology

No Teaching Assignments

Research Postgraduate (RPG) Supervision

From January 2022 to December 2025 (As of 22 May 2025)

All Supervisions Current RPGs Graduated RPGs

Current RPGs

Doctor of Philosophy

TONG, Yuxin
Life Science
ZHAO, Peixiong
Life Science

Master of Philosophy

FU, Kai
Life Science
SZETO, Kin Lam
Life Science

Graduated RPGs

Doctor of Philosophy

TIAN, Guangnan
Life Science( Completed in 2024 )
KHAN, Biswadeep
Bioengineering( Completed in 2023 )

Master of Philosophy

JAESIRI, On-mongkol
Bioengineering( Completed in 2024 )
LAM, Thomas Ka Chung
Bioengineering( Completed in 2023 )

Projects

From January 2023 to December 2025

All Projects 3

No Projects.
Neural circuits for defensive action selection in zebrafish

斑馬魚防禦動作選擇的神經迴路 Leading

RGC - General Research Fund
Project Team (HKUST)
SEMMELHACK Julie (Lead)
2024 -
Visually evoked freezing behavior and stimulus selection in zebrafish

斑馬魚的視覺觸發僵立行為與刺激選擇 Leading

RGC - General Research Fund
Project Team (HKUST)
SEMMELHACK Julie (Lead)
2022 -
Binocular inhibition in the zebrafish visual system

斑馬魚視覺系統中雙眼抑制的神經機制 Leading

RGC - General Research Fund
Project Team (HKUST)
SEMMELHACK Julie (Lead)
2021 - 2025

Research Interest

Publications

2025 1

2024 3

2023 2

2020 2

2015 1

2014 1

2009 1

2007 1

2001 1

Article 1

Article 3

Article 2

Article 2

Article 1

Article 1

Article 1

Article 1

Article 1

2015 1

2014 1

2009 1

2007 1

2001 1

Teaching Assignment

Research Postgraduate (RPG) Supervision

From January 2022 to December 2025 (As of 22 May 2025)

Current RPGs

Graduated RPGs

Projects

From January 2023 to December 2025

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