TL;DR: Building on our experience in computer science and experimental systems neuroscience, the mission of our lab will be to study neural architectures that underlie motor control during persistent states in Drosophila.
An animal committed to a goal seems to be possessed in its motor actions. For example, a hungry animal will vigorously search for food until it is obtained, with every limb working towards accomplishing this goal. Yet, moments later, another goal is chosen, say building shelter, and the same set of limbs are just as committed to a different set of actions. Understanding neural architectural principles that support selection, maintenance, termination and appropriate sequencing of motor actions remains a key challenge.
Our question: what happens in the motor control system when an animal is committed to a specific goal?
Our approach: Our lab will develop several new physiology-ready, tethered walking preparations using Drosophila as a model system. These behaviors will be designed to study neural circuits that control higher level motor programs during persistent states. We will formulate and test hypotheses of neural circuit function based on our behavioral observations, lessons learned from robotic control systems and precise neural connectivity in the Drosophila brain.
Tools of our trade:
Our question: what happens in the motor control system when an animal is committed to a specific goal?
Our approach: Our lab will develop several new physiology-ready, tethered walking preparations using Drosophila as a model system. These behaviors will be designed to study neural circuits that control higher level motor programs during persistent states. We will formulate and test hypotheses of neural circuit function based on our behavioral observations, lessons learned from robotic control systems and precise neural connectivity in the Drosophila brain.
Tools of our trade:
- We will perform calcium imaging and whole cell electrophysiology in behaving flies. (See the methods here for more details)
- We will use the extensive collection of genetic agents labeling most neurons in the fly's brain.
- We will design experiments based on high resolution neural circuit tracings generated using electron microscopy data.