Scientific Portfolio

Erynn E. Smith, PhD

Biochemist & Scientific Communications Professional

Erynn is a PhD biochemist and scientific communications professional with over nine years of industry and academic experience leveraging excellent written and verbal communication skills to translate complex scientific and pre-clinical data into high-quality communications materials for diverse audiences including regulatory bodies, technical experts, patient and caregiver communities, and healthcare professionals. Her portfolio includes peer-reviewed publications, slide decks, award-winning conference talks and posters, and medical and patient advocacy educational materials. She specializes in analyzing large multi-omics datasets and creating visually engaging scientific figures and graphics to make sense of gigabytes of data at a scale that patients and professors alike can understand to inform complex healthcare decision-making.

Erynn holds a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Minnesota, where her doctoral research focused on metabolic and proteomic characterization of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, resulting in eight peer-reviewed publications and eight award-winning conference presentations. She has nearly two years of project leadership experience at Diasorin, Inc., a global leader in automated immunodiagnostic technology for the diagnosis of various conditions including gastrointestinal, inflammatory, infectious, and metabolic disease states. She authored and reviewed technical and clinical documentation in a highly regulated medical device environment for successful global regulatory submissions, bringing new diagnostic medical devices to market and improving precision medicine capabilities for patients worldwide. Erynn enjoys writing about a variety of healthcare topics ranging from rare pediatric disease to personal health and nutrition, and she is eager to provide her communications expertise to new client projects and bring science to life for a variety of audiences.

Erynn E. Smith, PhD

Erynn E. Smith, PhD

2025

Identification of myokines associated with the pathological stress response in the mdx mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Johnson, E.E., Powers, J., & Ervasti, J.M.

Journal of Neuromuscular Diseases (2025) · doi:10.1177/22143602251409302

Duchenne MD Proteomics Peer-Reviewed
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2025

Proteomics-based evaluation of AAV dystrophin gene therapy outcomes in mdx skeletal muscle

Johnson, E.E., Reyes, T.R., Chamberlain, J.S., Ervasti, J.M., & Tasfaout, H.

JCI Insight (2025) · doi:10.1172/jci.insight.197759

Duchenne MD Proteomics Gene Therapy Peer-Reviewed
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2025

The complete absence of cytoplasmic γ-actin results in no discernible phenotype in mice or primary fibroblasts

Sundby, L.J., Hawbaker, K.M., Powers, J., Southern, W.M., Johnson, E.E., Patrinostro, X., Perrin, B.J., & Ervasti, J.M.

The FEBS Journal, 292(13): 3565–3576 (2025) · doi:10.1111/febs.70075

Cytoskeletal Biology Actin Peer-Reviewed
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2025

Stress exposure in the mdx mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy provokes a widespread metabolic response

Johnson, E.E. & Ervasti, J.M.

The FEBS Journal, 292: 5067–5085 (2025) · doi:10.1111/febs.70029

Duchenne MD Metabolomics Peer-Reviewed
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2025

Impaired hydrogen sulfide biosynthesis underlies eccentric contraction–induced force loss in dystrophin-deficient skeletal muscle

Southern, W.M., Johnson, E.E., Fasbender, E.K., Fallon, K.S., Cavazos, C.L., Lowe, D.A., Rodney, G.G., & Ervasti, J.M.

Journal of Clinical Investigation, 135(5): e176942 (2025) · doi:10.1172/JCI176942

Duchenne MD Redox Biology Peer-Reviewed
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2024

Retention of stress susceptibility in the mdx mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy after PGC-1α overexpression or ablation of IDO1 or CD38

Johnson, E.E., Southern, W.M., Doud, B., Steiger, B., Razzoli, M., Bartolomucci, A., & Ervasti, J.M.

Human Molecular Genetics (2024) · doi:10.1093/hmg/ddad206

Duchenne MD Metabolomics Peer-Reviewed
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2024

Gas-Phase Reactivity of Quinoline-Based Singlet Oxenium Cations

Ma, X., Anyaeche, R.O., Feng, E., Johnson, E., Roller, E., Rumley, D.J., Nash, J.J., & Kenttämaa, H.I.

Journal of Organic Chemistry, 89: 5458–5468 (2024) · doi:10.1021/acs.joc.3c02895

Mass Spectrometry Organic Chemistry Peer-Reviewed
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2019

Gas phase fragmentation of adducts between dioxygen and closo-borate radical anions

Warneke, J., Rohdenburg, M., Liu, J.K., Johnson, E., Ma, X., Kumar, R., Su, P., et al.

International Journal of Mass Spectrometry, 436: 71–78 (2019) · doi:10.1016/j.ijms.2018.11.005

Mass Spectrometry Analytical Chemistry Peer-Reviewed
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MDA 2024 poster preview View poster

Kynurenine and NAD+ metabolism as PGC-1α-regulated mediators of stress pathology in the mdx mouse model of DMD

Muscular Dystrophy Association Conference — 2024

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Marzolf 2024 abstract preview View abstract

Metabolic contributors to stress pathology in the mdx mouse model of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Marzolf Jr. Muscular Dystrophy Center Symposium — 2024 abstract

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UF Muscle Biology 2023 poster preview View poster

Metabolic contributors to stress pathology in the mdx mouse model of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

UF Muscle Biology Conference, University of Florida — 2023

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Marzolf 2023 abstract preview View abstract

Elucidating metabolic effectors of stress pathology in the mdx mouse model of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Marzolf Jr. Muscular Dystrophy Center Symposium — 2023 abstract

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ACS 2018 poster preview View poster

Exploring novel gas-phase reactivity of closo-borane radical anions

American Chemical Society National Meeting — 2018

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Purdue Research Symposium 2018 poster preview View poster

Exploring gas-phase radical reactivity of aromatic σ,π-type biradicals and closo-borane anions

Purdue University Research Symposium — 2018

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ACS 2017 poster preview View poster

Nanomaterial-based supports for ultra-thin layer chromatography and ellipsometry

American Chemical Society National Meeting, University of Nebraska–Lincoln — 2017

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Dissertation defense title slide View slides

Metabolic and proteomic characterization of stress susceptibility in the mdx mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy

PhD Dissertation Defense, University of Minnesota — May 2024

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AAV dystrophin gene therapy proteomics title slide View slides

Proteomics approach to evaluate efficacy of AAV vector-based split intein dystrophin gene therapy in mdx skeletal muscle

External Collaborator Phase Review, DMD Gene Therapy Study — 2024

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Myokine contributions to mdx stress pathology title slide View slides

Exploration of myokine contributions to stress pathology in the mdx mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Internal Phase Review, DMD Proteomics Study — 2024

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Cx43 hemichannels and CD38 title slide View slides

Cx43 hemichannels and CD38: literature review and clinical applications

Literature Review & Research Presentation — 2023

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Kynurenine pathway dysregulation in DMD title slide View slides

Kynurenine pathway dysregulation in Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Invited Podium Talk, 2021 New Directions in Biology and Disease of Skeletal Muscle Conference — June 2021

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Ketone and bioenergetics metabolomics title slide View slides

Ketone and bioenergetics metabolomics in dystrophic muscle

Crawford Lab Meeting — October 2019

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Women in STEM UNL invited talk title slide View slides

Characterizing the electrophilicity of anionic closo-borane radical clusters

Invited Podium Talk, Women in STEM, University of Nebraska–Lincoln — 2018

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Translating complex biomedical science into accessible content for clinicians, patients, families, and the broader community.

Gillette Children's HCP education title slide View slides

Metabolic and proteomic characterization of stress susceptibility in mdx Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Medical Education for Neuromuscular Healthcare Professionals, Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare

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MD Center patient education title slide View slides

One way scientists assess muscular dystrophy in mice

Patient & Family Education, Muscular Dystrophy Center — with D. Kurila & W.M. Southern

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SCOT deficiency title slide View slides

SCOT deficiency: a primer on a rare metabolic disorder

Metabolic Disorder Educational Presentation

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Erynn is open to discussing new opportunities in biochemistry, scientific communications, regulatory writing, and related fields. Please reach out using the form or through the links below.