Neurobiology & Behavior

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Our lab primarily uses the model organism Drosophila melanogaster to identify and experimentally dissect genes, proteins, cells, and neural networks required for behavioral and physiological responses to mechanical, thermal, and chemical stimuli. Using approaches in genetics, behavioral neuroscience, microscopy, molecular biology, and transcriptomics, we ask:

How do animals (and other organisms) sense their external world (e.g. pain, smell, taste, touch, and so on)?

How are these sensory systems important for the ecology, evolution, and health of organisms (including humans)?

How have sensory systems changed over time to adapt to different ecological niches? (i.e. how do they differ across species)