neu380 - Neuroethology and Neurogenetics: Insect Models (Complete module description)

Enrolment in Master program Neuroscience or Biology,
Students from other programs are welcome if space is available
Attendance in pre-meeting

Goals of this module:

upon completion of this module, students…

• have knowledge on the emergence of behavior from neurosensory activation
• have learned about the interdependces between signals and their receivers (keyword: matched filters)
• have a basic understanding of the multiple determinants of behavior: molecular (e.g. genes), cellular (e.g. neurons), organismic (e.g. individuals), environmental (e.g. noise) and inter-individual (e.g. communication)
• have acquired basic skills in data analysis
• have acquired basic understanding of sensory signal processing
• have acquired an intuitive understanding of the multi-causal nature of behavior and the corresponding multiple levels of investigation

Skills to be acquired/ competencies:

++          Neuroscience knowledge
++          Experimental Methods
+            Scientific Literature
+            Social skills
+            Maths/Stats/Programming
+            Independent Research
+            Data presentation/discussion
+            Scientific English
+            Ethics

The module consists of three weeks of seminar and hands-on lab exercises on insect behavioral experiments and electrophysiology (extracellular recordings from Drosophila or mosquito neurons).

The seminar covers the following topics:

• Introduction to Dipteran courtship behaviour (fruit flies and mosquitoes): common mechanisms and principles
• The cellular and molecular basis of Dipteran courtship: Between shared evolution and species-specific adaptation
• Introduction to the neurophysiological and neurogenetic toolbox to dissect behaviour (optogenetic, biophysical, behavioural)
• Introduction to data analysis methods

In the practical exercises, portfolio assignments will be performed on:

• Quantitative analysis of neural responses (electrophysiology, reporter imaging) from Dipteran insects
• Quantitative analysis of behavioural responses from Dipteran insects (e.g. courtship behaviour, flight tones)
• Design and Testing of different stimuli to probe neural and behavioural responses