Investigating Nutrient Memory in Drosophila melanogaster
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Oxford
Department Name: Interdisciplinary Bioscience DTP
Abstract
Remembering sensory cues associated with good or bad sources of food allows animals to optimise their foraging behaviour. Drosophila melanogaster will learn to follow odours that are predictive of a nutritious sugar reward, a behaviour that is enhanced when the fly is hungry.
It is known that flies seek other nutrients, when they are specifically deprived and when these nutrients are required to meet the energetic demands of egg production. However, it is unclear whether Drosophila can form memories of these nutrients. The aim of this project is to identify how nutrient information is represented in the Drosophila brain and how the internal nutrient and/or reproductive status influences the acquisition and expression of nutrient memories.
The research proposed in this report aligns with the following BBSRC priority areas:
Bioscience for Health
World-class underpinning bioscience
It is known that flies seek other nutrients, when they are specifically deprived and when these nutrients are required to meet the energetic demands of egg production. However, it is unclear whether Drosophila can form memories of these nutrients. The aim of this project is to identify how nutrient information is represented in the Drosophila brain and how the internal nutrient and/or reproductive status influences the acquisition and expression of nutrient memories.
The research proposed in this report aligns with the following BBSRC priority areas:
Bioscience for Health
World-class underpinning bioscience
Organisations
Studentship Projects
| Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BB/T008784/1 | 01/10/2020 | 30/09/2028 | |||
| 2446193 | Studentship | BB/T008784/1 | 01/10/2020 | 30/09/2024 |