UROP Project

Aging-dependent regulation of taste preference and feeding

Behavior, Aging, Taste, Sensory, Drosophila
Brown Headshot.jpg
Research Mentor: Dr. Elizabeth Brown, She/Her
Department, College, Affiliation: Biological Sciences, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: EBBrown@bio.fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators: Ms Zohre Panahidizjikan She/her
Faculty Collaborators Email: zp23@bio.fsu.edu
Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 1
Relevant Majors: Biological Sciences, Neuroscience, related STEM fields
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required:
Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 8-10, During business hours
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:
  • Day: Thursday, September 3
    Start Time: 2:30
    End Time: 3:00
    Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/7864093691

Project Description

Deficits in smell and taste are associated with healthy aging, as well as several neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). However, how these changes occur, particularly with respect to taste, remains largely unexplored. We use the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, as a model system to addreass this gap. We previously found that aging impairs taste response to sugars, but not fatty acids, revealing modality-specific deficits in taste. This decline in sugar taste response is associated with changes in gene expression and within the neurons that are activated by sugars. Students joining this project will contribute to this line of research using behavioral approaches, with the ultimate goal of characterizing novel candidate gene(s) that function in these sensory neurons during aging.

Research Tasks: Students will begin by learning care and maintenance of fly lines, executing behavioral experiments, and running statistical analysis. Advanced techniques include performing dissections, immunohistochemistry, and quantification of gene expression.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: A broad understanding of the fundamental concepts in genetics and neuroscience is recommended. Students must be reliable and be detail-oriented. Training in Drosophila husbandry and techniques will be provided.

Mentoring Philosophy

I am deeply invested in mentoring trainees and believe communication and common goals are key features of successful mentorship. While I initially plan to provide hand-on guidance and support to incoming students, they will be encouraged to become more independent and develop their own research questions over time. I also encourage student(s) to learn from other members of the lab, as I believe peer-to-peer learning increases engagement and promotes collaboration. Ultimately, I strive to build a lab culture where every student feels supported, while developing the confidence, skills, and autonomy to become an independent scientist.

Additional Information


Link to Publications

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=2WBYd1oAAAAJ&hl=en
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