Dr. Conneely earned a BSc and PhD degree in Biochemistry from the National University of Ireland. She is currently a professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at Baylor College of Medicine. Her research is focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms of action of the nuclear receptor family of transcription factors. Current research addresses the mechanisms by which the nuclear receptor, nurr1, selectively regulates differentiation and survival of midbrain dopamine neurons in the CNS. Dr. Conneely has served on several national and international scientific advisory and review panels and is an editorial board member of Molecular Endocrinology and Endocrinology journals. She has published over 100 professional articles.