Drosophila Genetics

1 Credit · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

Drosophila melanogaster has been one of the most powerful model organisms in biology and neuroscience for over a century. This course introduces the genetic tools and conceptual frameworks that make Drosophila uniquely suited for studying gene function, neural circuits, and behavior. Students will learn the principles of classical and modern fly genetics, including mutagenesis, transgenesis, binary expression systems, genome engineering, genetic strategies for manipulating neural activity, and connectomics. The course will emphasize how genetic tools are used to answer biological questions, particularly in neuroscience. Through short lectures and discussions of landmark studies, students will gain an understanding of how experimental design in fly genetics allows researchers to dissect complex biological processes such as development, learning, and memory. By the end of the course, students should be able to interpret genetic strategies used in the literature and design simple genetic experiments in Drosophila.