Behavioral Neurogenetics Laboratory

Recent advances in molecular biology and molecular genetics have allowed researchers to test specific hypotheses concerning the genetic control of behavior and neurological disease. This course will familiarize you with the relatively new and exciting field of neurogenetics, and provide hands-on experience in developing and conducting behavioral neurogenetic experiments using the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. This course will be a laboratory course focused on reading and understanding the primary literature, gaining expertise in the design and implementation of basic fly genetics, behavioral testing and analysis of tracking data, and the preparation of research reports associated with laboratory work. Throughout the course we will discuss the appropriateness, use, and limitations of animal models and human models for studying pathology, run real experiments with live animals, and collect, analyze, interpret, and write up results associated with those experiments.