neu380 Neuroethology and Neurogenetics: Insect Models (Vollständige Modulbeschreibung)

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

Course scripts and mandatory scientific literature (3 review articles) discussed in the seminar will be available in Stud.IP
Background and seminar literature will be available in Stud.IP

Recommended combination with neu341 and neu650

During the course (assignment tasks)