Neuroethology

We are researching the neural circuit mechanisms which govern memory and learning using fruit flies Drosophila melanogaster, an animal for whom the functional manipulation of cells is easy. We investigate memory formation and maintenance mechanisms by using genetic techniques to non-invasively manipulate specific cells in the brain and by evaluating the effects of these actions on behavior. We are thus involved in the development of new behavioral analysis techniques, the application of genetic manipulation, and the analysis of cell morphology on the individual cell level. The long-term goal of our lab is to understand the functions of neural circuits for formation, consolidation and recall of memory. To this end, we investigate associative memories in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. We combine techniques of quantitative behavioural analyses, genetic manipulation of circuit functions, and high-resolution morphological analyses of target neurons. We also investigate the ancestral nervous system using jellyfish Cladonema pacificum to understand the role of molecules, neurons and circuits in regulating adaptive behavior within a wider evolutionary context.
Laboratory website URL: http://www.lifesci.tohoku.ac.jp/neuroethology/