The nervous system plays a crucial role in mediating how organisms interact with their environment and in regulating the function of essential organs. Despite significant progress, key questions remain about how networks of neurons form during development, process sensory input, drive complex behaviours, and adapt to environmental changes, injury, or disease. Research within the Neuroscience Interest Group (NIG) addresses these challenges through collaborative, multidisciplinary approaches across various experimental systems, including mice, zebrafish, and Drosophila. By integrating genetic tools, advanced imaging, and electrophysiology, we investigate neural stem cell activity, the generation and maintenance of neuronal and glial diversity, and the molecular basis behind the formation of functional neural circuits. Our studies also focus on how the brain processes sensory information, such as smell and vision, and how it regulates physiological functions like sleep and appetite. Moreover, we explore the crosstalk between the nervous and immune systems in maintaining organismal balance. This research not only deepens our understanding of brain function but also informs strategies to combat neurological and neurodevelopmental disorders.
