Faculty Spotlight: Jonathan Sylvester

April 30, 2025

By Annalise Ray

Senior Lecturer Jonathan Blaylock Sylvester recently received a CETLOE mini-grant to expand his Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) lab at Georgia State University.

This grant has allowed him to continue research on the early brain development of convict cichlids, a monogamous fish species, by incorporating observations on adult fish behavior.

This research merges biological developmental and behavioral studies to better understand how early brain development influences adult social behavior in cichlids. Through his lab, he trains students in experimental techniques, critical thinking and professional research.

Dr. Sylvester’s academic career began at Duke University, where he initially pursued pre-med. However, his experiences in research sparked an interest in experimentation. This led him to shift paths and focus on research, and he developed an undergraduate thesis on the neural networks of sea urchins. He was brought onto a lab at Georgia Tech where he received his Ph.D. researching the brain development of East African Cichlids. He cites this as a significant change from his undergraduate research, but one that would go on to shape his career.

“I had to teach myself brain development,” he says. “With these new skills, I was looking at the parts of the brain and how they developed. I ended up turning that into my dissertation, which investigated how the brain develops in its earliest stage that ultimately culminates into full differences in the adult brain.”

Dr. Sylvester brought his expertise to Georgia State in 2014 when he joined a lab studying ‘Convict” Cichlids, researching the role brain development has in the sub-species’ unusual life-long monogamy.

“No one has ever done this type of study on convict cichlids before. Prior research mostly studies the fish once they are adults, but I’m interested in what happens within the brain chemistry that makes them pair up.”

Since then, he’s been teaching his undergraduate students the same techniques he applies to his research. Along with his CURE lab, Dr. Sylvester leads the Synthetic Biology Club, a lab that revolves around manipulating bacteria or small microorganisms to make useful molecules. When he took over, the lab was working on finding a way to manipulate the mutualistic relationship between algae and E.coli to produce PHB, a key component in the production of biodegradable plastics. Much to Dr. Sylvester’s delight, the project won second place in a research competition in Paris, France.

He also takes pride in mentoring his students, citing it as his favorite aspect of teaching. For that reason – despite no longer teaching it – his favorite class to teach is Intro to Biology, where he could be his student’s first exposure to the scientific world. Dr. Sylvester is also active in Georgia State’s pre-med committee and Honors College. Through programs like the Undergraduate Assistantship Program (UAP), he helps students navigate academic pathways, find lab placements and future career options.

“I want to prepare them for their undergraduate careers and beyond, and a large portion of my class is teaching them how to study properly, how to organize their notes, and how to think critically,” he explains.

He cites the most memorable experience of his career as participating in Georgia State’s pre-pandemic exchange program with Southwest Chongqing University. He taught introductory biology and mentored students preparing to study abroad at GSU, helping them adjust academically and culturally.

When Dr. Sylvester isn’t teaching or in the lab, he enjoys taking his new dog, Bernie the cockerpoo, on local Atlanta trails. However, his love for science follows him outside of his work.

He says, “I’m always still a scientist at heart, so I’ll be like looking around and think, ‘Oh look at this little organism here’ and ‘What kind of bug is that?’”

As a passionate, motivated academic, Dr. Sylvester is helping countless biology students get the most out of their education at Georgia State.