(→Chris Fang-Yen, Ph.D.) |
(→November 17, 2011) |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
=Chris Fang-Yen, Ph.D.= | =Chris Fang-Yen, Ph.D.= | ||
| − | =November 17, 2011= | + | ===November 17, 2011=== |
Optical dissection of worm behavior | Optical dissection of worm behavior | ||
The nematode C. elegans is an attractive model for understanding how neural circuits create behavior. This microscopic worm possesses a relatively simple nervous system composed of 302 neurons, and is the only animal for which the 'wiring diagram' of synaptic connectivity is known. Moreover, the worm's optical transparency and genetic manipulability enable the monitoring and manipulation of its nervous system in intact animals. I will first describe biomechanical and behavioral analyses of the worm's locomotory and feeding behaviors. I will then discuss novel optogenetic methods we have developed for dissecting the neural bases of these behaviors. | The nematode C. elegans is an attractive model for understanding how neural circuits create behavior. This microscopic worm possesses a relatively simple nervous system composed of 302 neurons, and is the only animal for which the 'wiring diagram' of synaptic connectivity is known. Moreover, the worm's optical transparency and genetic manipulability enable the monitoring and manipulation of its nervous system in intact animals. I will first describe biomechanical and behavioral analyses of the worm's locomotory and feeding behaviors. I will then discuss novel optogenetic methods we have developed for dissecting the neural bases of these behaviors. | ||