Genes, Neurons, Circuits and Behavior: An Integrated Approach in a Compact Brain

2016 Scolnick Prize Lecture: Dr. Cornelia Bargmann


Genes, Neurons, Circuits and Behavior: An Integrated Approach in a Compact Brain

Photo: John Abbott, The Rockefeller University

Title: Genes, Neurons, Circuits and Behavior: An Integrated Approach in a Compact Brain
Speaker: Cornelia Bargmann, The Rockefeller University
Date + Time: March 30, 2016 @ 4pm
Location: 46-3002 (Singleton Auditorium)

Abstract:

Behavior is variable, both within and between individuals. We use the nematode worm C. elegans to ask how genes, neurons, circuits, and the environment interact to give rise to flexible behaviors. This work has provided insights into four kinds of behavioral variability mediated by overlapping circuits: the gating of information flow by circuit state over seconds, the extrasynaptic regulation of circuits by neuropeptides and neuromodulators over minutes, the modification of behavior by learning over hours or days, and natural genetic variation across generations.