Neural Mechanisms of Behavioural Conflict in Drosophila
Explore how the brain resolves behavioural choices using advanced techniques in Drosophila. Join a Wellcome Trust-funded team probing fundamental neural mechanisms with potential to impact neuropsychiatric disorder understanding.
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Project Description
Project Overview
This Wellcome Trust-funded programme at the University of Birmingham focuses on understanding how animals resolve behavioural conflicts, such as choosing between feeding and escape, through the neural mechanisms in Drosophila (fruit flies). The research connects molecular and synaptic activity with observable behaviour to uncover universal principles underlying decision-making.
What You Will Do
Students will design and conduct studies using innovative behavioural assays, advanced genetics, molecular biology techniques, neural circuit dissection, optogenetics, in vivo two-photon imaging, connectomics, behavioural tracking, computational analysis, and single-cell transcriptomics. The projects are flexible and tailored to the interests and expertise of the student, benefiting from strong collaborations within the UK and Europe.
Expected Outcomes
The research will elucidate basic neural circuit functions governing behavioural choices and provide insights applicable to neuropsychiatric disorders, advancing fundamental understanding of decision-making across species. The results will improve models of behaviour and may inspire new therapeutic strategies in neuroscience.
Why This Matters
Understanding how the brain resolves conflicting motivations is critical for neuroscience, psychology, and artificial intelligence. Studying these mechanisms in Drosophila provides a model for universal principles of brain function with potential translational impact for treating neuropsychiatric conditions.
Entry Requirements
How to Apply
Eligibility
Supervisor Profile
Prof. Carolina Rezaval leads research on the neural basis of behavioural decision-making using model organisms such as Drosophila. Her lab combines genetics, neuroscience, and computational approaches to uncover how brain circuits drive complex behaviour. She is recognized for innovative interdisciplinary methods linking molecular and synaptic activity to behaviour and leads a Wellcome Trust-funded programme at the University of Birmingham.