GO TOP

Field

Integrative Life Sciences :
Brain and Nervous System

Research

JAPANESE
Professor (Cross Appointment) KAMIKOUCHI Azusa
Campus Nagoya University campus
Laboratory Molecular Ethology
Tel +81-52-789-2903
E-mail azusa.kamikouchi.e6＠tohoku.ac.jp
Website http://www.bio.nagoya-u.ac.jp/~NC_home/index2.htm http://www.bio.nagoya-u.ac.jp/~NC_home/index3.htm
Google Scholar
 
How does the brain decode the meaning of sound signals, such as music and courtship songs? We believe the fruit fly is an ideal model for answering this question. Fruit flies offer a comprehensive range of tools and assays which allow us to dissect the mechanisms underlying sound perception and evaluation in the brain. We recently have also started to investigate mosquitoes, as they use sound as part of their mating behavior. Interfering with these behaviors can prevent mosquitoes from mating, which opens new options for mosquito control.
Career
2002                Ph. D., Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Japan
2002-2005       Postdoctoral research fellow, National Institute for Basic Biology / The University of Tokyo, Japan
2005-2008       Postdoctoral research fellow, University of Cologne, Germany
2008-2011       Assistant Professor, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences , Japan
2011-Present    Professor, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Japan
2019- Present   Professor, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Japan
Selected Publications
  1. Kim H, Horigome M, Ishikawa Y, Li F, Lauritzen J S, Card G, Bock D D, Kamikouchi A (2020). Wiring patterns from auditory sensory neurons to the escape and song-relay pathways in fruit flies. J Comp Neurol. doi: 10.1002/cne.24877.
  2. Ishimoto H, Kamikouchi A (2020). A feedforward circuit regulates action selection of pre-mating courtship behavior in female Drosophila. Curr Biol. 30, 396-407.
  3. Yuki Ishikawa, Mao Fujiwara, Junlin Wong, Akari Ura, Kamikouchi A (2019). Stereotyped combination of hearing and wind/gravity-sensing neurons in the Johnston’s organ of Drosophila. Frontiers in Physiology. 10,1552. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2019.01552
  4. Yamada D, Ishimoto H, Li X, Kohashi T, Ishikawa Y, Kamikouchi A (2018). GABAergic local interneurons shape female fruit fly response to mating songs. J Neurosci. 38(18), 4329-4347.
  5. Li X, Ishimoto H, Kamikouchi A. Auditory experience controls the maturation of song discrimination and sexual response in Drosophila. eLife. 7, e34348.
 
For other contributions, please refer to:
http://www.bio.nagoya-u.ac.jp/~NC_home/results_E.html
Activities in Academic Societies
The Japan Neuroscience Society
The Japanese Society for Comparative Physiology and Biochemistry

Recent Activities

 
We develop fruit fly model to explore how learned auditory cues alter mating behavior and sexual preference.
 
 
We suggest that feed-forward inhibitory pathways in the fly brain adjust the behavioral response to courtship songs in female flies.

Message to Students

I have my lab at Nagoya University, and I stay at Tohoku University from time to time. Please contact me if you are interested in our research projects.

Research