VICKY DU

Vicky Du is a Taiwanese-American documentary filmmaker based in New York City. Her short film Gaysians was selected for NewFest and Outfest Fusion. She is currently developing a feature on Chinese birthing centers in the United States that explores themes of immigration, female sexuality and xenophobia. Her directing and editing work has also been featured on The History Channel, The New Yorker, and BKLYNR. Vicky holds a BA in Biological Anthropology from Columbia University, and in a past life, she studied wild monkeys in Kenya and the Caribbean. 

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DHANANJAY BAMBAH-MUKKU

Dhananjay (Dj) Bambah-Mukku is a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Catherine Dulac’s laboratory at Harvard University. Dj’s research is focused on neural circuits underlying instinctive social behaviors in mice. In the past, his research has uncovered molecular mechanisms underlying long-term memory formation and persistence. Currently, Dj is working to genetically identify neuronal cell types that orchestrate instinctive behaviors such as mating, parenting and aggression, and to understand the rules governing their development. The long-term goals of this research are to understand the assembly and function of circuits underlying instinctive behavior and how these are modified by experience.

WHAT ARE THEY CREATING?

Vicky and DJ are creating a short documentary experience that traces his work on the genetic, neural and biochemical mechanisms of gender recognition and sexual behavior in mice. The film will tease apart the philosophical implications of his research on modern society, as well as explore DJ's personal motivations and his understanding of the world around him that drive him to pursue these questions.