Optogenetic dissection of neural networks controlling locomotion in Drosophila melanogaster larvae

Rhythmic movements such as walking, swimming or chewing are not made from scratch by the brain each time, rather they are produced by dedicated "central pattern generators" which are activated by the brain. I study these networks in Drosophila using genetically-encoded calcium indicators to image neural activity across the whole ventral nerve cord (spinal cord) in real time. More specifically, I am currently investigating the role played by biogenic amines (such as dopamine and octopamine) in the biasing of the ventral nerve cord towards the selection of certain motor programs. Our lab has an integrative approach, making use of calcium imaging, genetic manipulations, electrophysiology, pharmacology and behavioural experiments to study the system from many different angles.