Conference: 2011 CSHL Conference on Neurobiology of Drosophila, Cold Spring Harbor, NY Oct. 3-7, 2011

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spg Hbr NY

Investigators

Abstract

This Neurobiology of Drosophila conference focuses on advances made using the combined power of genetics, molecular biology, biochemistry, cell biology, electrophysiology, imaging, and behavioral analysis to address fundamental issues in neurobiology using the model organism Drosophila melanogaster. A driving principle of the entire field is that the lowly fruit fly, while seeming to have little in common with humans, shares many of the same genes, molecules and neural wiring ?albeit far simpler ? with vertebrate animals. Building on one hundred years of research in fly genetics, the fly neurobiology field is a burgeoning field of endeavor with many laboratories around the world making significant advances in the field. Understanding how these systems work in Drosophila has enormous relevance to our efforts to elucidate how these things function in higher animals, with consequences including how we think about brain evolution and other major themes of research in humans. Many of the research techniques that are developed for use in the fly have considerable utility in research into nervous system function in vertebrates and mammals. The aim of the conference is to provide a forum to bring together a diverse group of scientists and young investigators working in different areas of the field of fly neurobiology.