A5008533147- Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Olfactory and Sensory Function Studies
- Invertebrate Immune Response Mechanisms
- Advanced Fluorescence Microscopy Techniques
- Photoreceptor and optogenetics research
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Biotechnology and Related Fields
- Neural dynamics and brain function
- Optical Coherence Tomography Applications
- SARS-CoV-2 detection and testing
- Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
- Photochromic and Fluorescence Chemistry
- Physiological and biochemical adaptations
- Insect Utilization and Effects
- Genetics, Bioinformatics, and Biomedical Research
- Image Processing Techniques and Applications
- RNA Research and Splicing
- Retinal Development and Disorders
- Insect-Plant Interactions and Control
- Insect and Pesticide Research
- Trypanosoma species research and implications
- Nanotechnology research and applications
- Plant biochemistry and biosynthesis
- Biosensors and Analytical Detection
The Francis Crick Institute
2019-2024
University of Lausanne
2013-2024
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
2020
University College London
2020
National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery
2020
FENS Kavli Network of Excellence
2020
ORCID
2020
University of Cambridge
2011-2012
Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
2010
The introduction of affordable, consumer-oriented 3-D printers is a milestone in the current "maker movement," which has been heralded as next industrial revolution. Combined with free and open sharing detailed design blueprints accessible development tools, rapid prototypes complex products can now be assembled one's own garage—a game-changer reminiscent early days personal computing. At same time, printing also allowed scientific engineering community to build "little things" that help lab...
Small, genetically tractable species such as larval zebrafish, Drosophila, or Caenorhabditis elegans have become key model organisms in modern neuroscience. In addition to their low maintenance costs and easy sharing of strains across labs, one appeal is the possibility monitor single groups animals a behavioural arena while controlling activity select neurons using optogenetic thermogenetic tools. However, purchase commercial solution for these types experiments, including an appropriate...
With the current rapid spread of COVID-19, global health systems are increasingly overburdened by sheer number people that need diagnosis, isolation and treatment. Shortcomings evident across board, from staffing, facilities for reliable testing to availability hospital beds key medical-grade equipment. The scale breadth problem calls an equally substantive response not only frontline workers such as medical staff scientists, but skilled members public who have time, knowledge meaningfully...
Undead neurons may underlie the evolution of new olfactory circuits.
Abstract Living organisms synchronize their biological activities with the earth’s rotation through circadian clock, a molecular mechanism that regulates biology and behavior daily. This synchronization factually maximizes positive (e.g., social interactions, feeding) during safe periods, minimizes exposure to dangers predation, darkness) typically at night. Beyond basic regulation, some behaviors like sleep have an additional layer of homeostatic control, ensuring those essential are...
Abstract Neuroscience research in Africa remains sparse. Devising new policies to boost Africa’s neuroscience landscape is imperative, but these must be based on accurate data outputs which largely lacking. Such reflect the heterogeneity of environments across continent’s 54 countries. Here, we analyse publications affiliated with African institutions between 1996 and 2017. Of 12,326 PubMed indexed publications, 5,219 show clear evidence that work was performed led by African-based...
Alternative splicing increases neuronal transcriptomic complexity throughout animal phylogeny. To delve into the mechanisms controlling assembly and evolution of this regulatory layer, we characterized microexon program in Drosophila compared it with that mammals. In nonvertebrate bilaterians, is restricted to neurons by posttranscriptional processing enhancer microexons (eMIC) domain Srrm234 . , dependent on regulation Elav/Fne. eMIC deficiency or misexpression leads widespread neurological...
Abstract Organs have a distinctive yet often overlooked spatial arrangement in the body 1–5 . We propose that there is logic to shape of an organ and its proximity neighbours. Here, by using volumetric scans many Drosophila melanogaster flies, we develop methods quantify three-dimensional features shape, position interindividual variability. find both shapes organs their relative are consistent differ between sexes, identify unexpected interorgan adjacencies left–right asymmetries. Focusing...
Ionotropic receptors (IRs) are a large, divergent subfamily of ionotropic glutamate (iGluRs) that expressed in diverse peripheral sensory neurons and function olfaction, taste, hygrosensation thermosensation. Analogous to the cell biological properties their synaptic iGluR ancestors, IRs thought form heteromeric complexes localise ciliated dendrites neurons. IR composed selectively 'tuning' one two broadly co-receptors (IR8a or IR25a). While extracellular ligand-binding domain (LBD) tuning...
Abstract Most living organisms have evolved to synchronize their biological activities with the earth’s rotation, a daily regulation of biology and behaviour controlled by an evolutionary conserved molecular machinery known as circadian clock. For most animals, mechanisms are meant maximize exposure positive ( e.g.: social interactions, mating, feeding – generally during day) minimize peril predation, weather, darkness night 1 ). On top regulation, some behaviours also feature second layer...
The evolutionary expansion of sensory neuron populations detecting important environmental cues is widespread, but functionally enigmatic. We investigated this phenomenon through comparison homologous olfactory pathways Drosophila melanogaster and its close relative sechellia, an extreme specialist for Morinda citrifolia noni fruit. D. sechellia has evolved species-specific expansions in select, noni-detecting (OSN) populations, multigenic changes. Activation inhibition defined proportions...
Diffraction-limited two-photon microscopy permits minimally invasive optical monitoring of neuronal activity. However, most conventional microscopes impose significant constraints on the size imaging field-of-view and specific shape effective excitation volume, thus limiting scope biological questions that can be addressed information obtainable. Here, employing a non-telecentric design, we present low-cost, easily implemented flexible solution to address these limitations, offering...
Olfactory receptor repertoires exhibit remarkable functional diversity, but how these proteins have evolved is poorly understood. Through analysis of extant and ancestrally reconstructed drosophilid olfactory receptors from the Ionotropic (Ir) family, we investigated evolution two organic acid-sensing receptors, Ir75a Ir75b. Despite their low amino acid identity, identify a common ‘hotspot’ in ligand-binding pocket that has major effect on changing specificity both Irs, as well at least...
Olfactory neuropiles across different phyla organize into glomerular structures where afferents from a single olfactory receptor class synapse with uniglomerular projecting interneurons. In adult Drosophila, projection interneurons, partially instructed by the larval system laid down during embryogenesis, pattern developing antennal lobe prior to ingrowth of afferents. vertebrates it is that initiate and regulate development first neuropile. Here we investigate for time embryonic assembly...
Two-photon (2P) microscopy is a cornerstone technique in neuroscience research. However, combining 2P imaging with spectrally arbitrary light stimulation can be challenging due to crosstalk between and fluorescence detection. To overcome this limitation, we present simple low-cost electronic solution based on an ESP32 microcontroller TLC5947 LED driver rapidly time-interleave detection epochs during scans. Implemented for less than $100, our design independently drive up 24 spectrum LEDs...
The evolutionary expansion of sensory neuron populations detecting important environmental cues is widespread, but functionally enigmatic. We investigated this phenomenon through comparison homologous neural pathways
In olfactory systems across phyla, most sensory neurons express a single receptor gene selected from large genomic repertoire. We describe previously unknown gene-dependent mechanisms that ensure singular expression of receptors encoded by tandem array [Ionotropic 75c (Ir75c), Ir75b, and Ir75a, organized 5' to 3'] in Drosophila melanogaster Transcription upstream genes the cluster runs through coding region downstream loci inhibits their cis, likely via transcriptional interference....