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Behavioral Neurogenetics of Drosophila Larva
October 19 - 22, 2008

This meeting focuses on Drosophila larval neuroanatomy, behavior, and development. The types of larval behavior and physiological responses under investigation have been steadily increasing. These include different forms of movement (peristalsis, crawling, digging), feeding behavior and growth, ecdysis behavior, social behaviors (aggregation, selection of pupation sites), escape responses, reaction to sensory stimuli of diverse modalities, and learning and memory. Because of their relatively simplified nervous system, fly larvae provide distinct advantages over adults for linking behavior to underlying neural circuits. The projections of most classes of sensory and motor neurons have been described, which greatly facilitates identification of interneuronal components of distinct behavioral circuits. Electrophysiological studies of larval motor and sensory neurons are possible, and tools are becoming available for automated tracking of behavior of entire populations of larvae. Therefore, a great opportunity exists for attributing specific behaviors to clearly identifiable circuits and for altering and monitoring the activity of circuits at a fine cellular resolution. In addition, the larval nervous system provides unique insights into how hormones influence circuit growth and remodeling, and how identified stem cells relate to defined circuit components. Coupled with the powerful genetic tools available in Drosophila this is an excellent model system for investigating the way in which genes act in defined neuronal circuits to specify behavior.

• ORGANIZERS:

  Michael Pankratz, University of Bonn
  
  Jim Truman, Janelia Farm Research Campus/HHMI
  
  Marta Zlatic , Columbia University