Lab members

Lab members

Zac Durisko (PhD candidate)

The brain tissue underlying cognitive abilities is metabolically expensive and in some environments may not be necessary or beneficial to an individual. In such cases, investing in an increased learning ability can be considered a waste of resources that reduces relative fitness. For most species, brain tissue develops throughout early life, and environmental cues at early stages indicate the likely later-life environment. I am investigating whether animals can sense this early environment and adjust their investment in brain development accordingly. I term such environmentally informed neurodevelopment "adaptive cognitive plasticity. I use drosophila larvae and adults, with their sensory-integrating mushroom bodies, as my model system.

Lisa Klotz (Lab tech)

I am responsible for maintaining the various insect species and genetic lines in the lab.

Undergraduate students

We typically have about a dozen undergrad students in the lab, most of them conduct independent research within one of the main lines of the lab focus.

Former postdocs & students

Yaara Lancet (MSc 2011)

Corrine Seeley (MSc 2010)

Kevin Abbott (PhD 2009)

Sachin Sarin (MSc 2009)

Alex Lange (Postdoc 2008-9)

Lara Kujtan (MSc 2008)

Marie-Pierre Schippers (PhD in Biology, 2011)

Luca Bianco Prevot (MSc 2006)

Updated Wednesday December 14, 2011 12:09 PM