A Flippase Recombination Method To Map Relevant Brain Circuits Underlying Different Fly Behaviors in Drosophila

PI （Zhang）提案# ios -1025556神经系统控制人类和动物的行为。通过行为分析，神经科学家可以深入了解大脑的功能，如学习、记忆、决策和其他认知活动。然而，行为产生和调节的神经机制仍然知之甚少。张博士和他的同事提议开发一种新的分子遗传学方法，以非侵入性地解剖果蝇（Drosophila melanogaster）行为背后的神经回路。他们将开发和完善一种基因方法，允许果蝇大脑神经元亚群中的基因限制性表达。然后，他们将检查这些神经元或神经回路受到干扰后的行为后果。这种大脑行为映射的努力有望显著推进对大脑功能的理解。这项建议的另一个重要方面是开发新的遗传工具。张博士已经开始并将继续向蝇类社区免费提供这些试剂。这些试剂将存放在公共领域（如布卢明顿果蝇库存中心）。在拟议的工作中制定的策略也有望适用于其他遗传模式生物。这项建议具有强大的外联性和更广泛的影响。在过去的卓越记录的基础上，张博士将积极参与教育，培训和拓展到当地社区。这包括指导本科生和研究生，培训一名博士后，让一名当地高中科学教师参与暑期研究，以及参加当地学校和博物馆的科学推广活动。

ABSTRACT PI (Zhang) Proposal # IOS-1025556The nervous system controls human and animal behavior. From behavioral analysis, neuroscientists can gain insights into brain function such as learning, memory, decision-making and other cognitive activities. Yet, the neural mechanisms by which behavior is produced and regulated remain poorly understood. Dr. Zhang and his associate propose to develop a new molecular genetic method to non-invasively dissect the neural circuitry underlying behavior in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. They will be developing and refining a genetic method that allows for restrictive expression of genes in subsets of neurons in the fly brain. They will then examine the behavioral consequence following the perturbation of these neurons or a neural circuit. This brain-behavior mapping effort is expected to significantly advance the understanding of brain function. Another important aspect of this proposal is to develop new genetic tools. Dr. Zhang has begun and will continue to make these reagents freely available to the fly community. These reagents will be deposited in a public domain (such as the Bloomington Drosophila Stock Center). The strategy developed in the proposed work is also expected to be applicable to other genetic model organisms. This proposal has strong outreach and broader impacts. Building upon the past record of excellence, Dr. Zhang will actively participate in education, training, and outreach to local communities. This includes mentoring undergraduate and graduate students, training a postdoctoral fellow, involving a local high school science teacher in summer research, and participation of science outreach activities in local schools and museums.