Advanced Research Program

After the summer camp, Neurons Can Fly offers continuing research opportunities for motivated, committed students to contribute to the Cai Lab’s ongoing projects and discoveries. Participants work under the mentorship of Cai Lab members, using thermogenetics to study fly behavior and applying AI-based tools and data mining for neural reconstructions.

Once students receive their fly shipments, they will use thermogenetic chambers to record and process behavior videos, then apply AI-based tracking and statistical analyses to quantify behavioral changes.

Students will perform remote neural reconstructions using AI tools and data mining, utilizing Flywire and Flylight to form anatomy-based hypotheses. This involves identifying potential inputs and outputs of serotonergic neurons and selecting transgenic fly lines that will label specific neuronal subsets.  Once those fly lines are identified, further behavior testing can be performed on these lines to test hypotheses.