Professor Barry Dickson, UQ : “Wired for sex: the neurobiology of Drosophila reproductive behaviours”
Speaker:
Professor Barry Dickson
Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland
Title: “Wired for sex: the neurobiology of Drosophila reproductive behaviours”
Abstract:
Reproduction in most animal species involves complex rituals for courtship, mating, and post-mating behaviours. These behaviours are robust, innate, and sexually dimorphic, making them attractive model systems for understanding how genetic programs direct the assembly of neural circuits, and how activity in neural circuits generates behaviour. In Drosophila, sex-specific behaviours are controlled by the neural sex-determination gene fruitless, which is expressed in ~2000 neurons in each sex. These neurons are organized into sexually dimorphic circuits which produce the distinct reproductive behaviours of males and females. I will present our research investigating the structure and function of these circuits, and how fruitless makes them different between the sexes.
About Neuroscience Seminars
Neuroscience seminars at the QBI play a major role in the advancement of neuroscience in the Asia-Pacific region. The primary goal of these seminars is to promote excellence in neuroscience through the exchange of ideas, establishing new collaborations and augmenting partnerships already in place.
Seminars in the QBI Auditorium are held on Wednesdays at 12-1pm, which are sometimes simulcast on Zoom (with approval from the speaker). We also occassionally hold seminars from international speakers via Zoom. The days and times of these seminars will vary depending on the time zone of the speaker. Please see each seminar listed below for details.
