de Bono, M. & Maricq, A.V. (2005)
Neuronal substrates of complex behaviors in C. elegans.
Annu. Rev. Neurosci 28, 451-501.
Persson, A., Gross E., Laurent, P., Busch, K.E., Bretes, H. & de Bono, M. (2009)
Natural variation in a neural globin tunes oxygen sensing in wild C. elegans.
Nature 458, 1030-3.
Cohen, M., Reale, V., Olofsson, B., Knights, A., Evans, P. & de Bono, M. (2009)
Coordinated regulation of foraging and metabolism in C. elegans by RFamide neuropeptide signalling Cell.
Metabolism 9, 375-85.
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Group Members
- Emanuel (Karl) Busch
- Patrick Laurent
- Kate Weber
- Robin Murphy
- Zoltan Soltesz
- Anna Herlihy
- Lydia Ruddick
- Lorenz Fenk
- Birgitta Olofsson
- Geoff Nelson
- Changchun Chen
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Brains are highly parallel information processors. Their neural circuits continuously integrate sensory inputs to generate appropriate behavioural responses.
We are interested in understanding how neural networks are functionally assembled, how they integrate information, and how they evolve.
C. elegans is a powerful system to study neural circuits. The worm has exactly 302 neurons (compared to ~1011 in us), each of which can be uniquely identified by morphology and position.
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The synaptic connections made by each neuron have been reconstructed by electron microscopy, providing a wiring diagram of the neural circuits.
By combining genetic, molecular, and cell biological approaches with electrophysiology and neural imaging techniques we can dissect how these circuits work.
The nematode inhabits soil where it feeds on microorganisms. To forage for food C. elegans integrates multiple sensory cues, including signals from bacteria, other animals, ambient gases such as O2 and CO2, and internal nutritional state.
We are studying the genetic and neural architectures that allow these responses
to be integrated together and modified by experience. Different natural isolates exhibit different foraging strategies thereby also providing an opportunity to investigate how
behaviour evolves.
A particular focus is on neuropeptides. Neuropeptides are potent regulators of behaviour but their biology is poorly understood. Neural signalling components are well conserved between C. elegans and mammals, so that results from the worm are often applicable to mammals.
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Group Leaders 
