What do insects “think” – if they do it at all? This question is driving my research since my PhD time in Germany. Also in Sapporo, my research is about what one could call “Insect psychology” – I try to understand how a simple brain decides what to do. How are decisions influenced by memories of the past and by the present situation? How specifically are they executed in future behavior? And what are the neuronal mechanisms underlying these processes? To answer these questions, I use the larva of the fruit fly, and a combination of transgenic tools to manipulate single neurons, behavioral analysis and computational approaches. If you want to know more, of if like to work in a small international team to investigate what insects “think”, just contact me!
HOKKAIDO UNIVERSITY´S INTEGRATED SCIENCE PROGRAM (ISP)
