Award details

The design and function of neural circuits in the insect nervous system

Reference	INS02820
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor Malcolm Burrows
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors	Professor Simon Laughlin
Institution	University of Cambridge
Department	Zoology
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	707,540
Status	Completed
Type	Research Grant
Start date	01/10/1994
End date	01/02/1999
Duration	52 months

Abstract

This programme combines interrelated long term research programmes addressing problems of broad applicability to neuroscience. The programme will exploit the many advantages of insect nervous systems which facilitate a wide range of approaches from molecular genetics through cells and circuits, to theoretical modelling and behaviour. The programme focuses on the cellular and molecular interactions underlying motor co-ordination and vision. These processes involve common mechanisms and design principles, such as the tuning of molecular components for particular functions, the mapping of sensory information, the construction of receptive fields, and sensori-motor integration. The research objectives of the programme are: 1) Processing of sensory and motor signals - The transformation of sensory signals into an appropriate adjustment of posture or into a directed limb movement depends on integrative processes within local circuits and on descending control from the brain. This programme seeks to understand the design principles of local circuits that control locomotion, by studying the networks that regulate insect leg movements. 2) Visual circuits - The programme will exploit our detailed understanding of the insect visual system to study neural coding at all levels from sensory transduction to behaviour. Our analysis of processing within the retina, lamina, lobula and lobula plate is based on a powerful combination of approaches including mutant analysis in Drosophila, patch-clamp, intracellular recording and dye-injection, systems analysis and theoretical modelling. This award follows on from grant number 8/INS02985

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Animal Sciences (AS)
Research Topics	X – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	Invertebrate Neurosciences Initiative (INS) [1993-1994]
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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