To maintain energy homeostasis, orexigenic (appetite-inducing) and anorexigenic (appetite suppressing) brain systems functionally interact to regulate food intake. Within the hypothalamus, neurons that express agouti-related protein (AgRP) sense orexigenic factors and orchestrate an increase in food-seeking behavior. Continue reading »
This year the biology department welcomes two new faculty members, Ronald Bassar and David Loehlin. Ron starts in the Fall 2017 semester as Assistant Professor. Ron is an evolutionary ecologist and comes to us following post-doctoral research at the University of Oxford with Tim Coulson studying the ecological and… Continue reading »
Luo R, Chen PW, Wagenbach M, Jian X, Jenkins L, Wordeman L, Randazzo PA. J Biol Chem (2016). Direct functional interaction of the kinesin-13 family member kinesin-like protein 2A (Kif2A) and Arf GAP with GTP-binding protein-like, ankyrin repeats and PH domains 1 (AGAP1). doi:10.1074/jbc.A116.732479 Vitali T, Girald-Berlingeri S,… Continue reading »
Abstract Fireflies in the genus Photinus are well regarded for their luminescent nocturnal courtship displays. Here we report on a new firefly species, Photinus interdius, which is remarkable for its fully diurnal and luminescent courtship protocol. Continue reading »
Vicent, M.A., Borre, E.D. & Swoap, S.J. J Comp Physiol B (2017). Central activation of the A1 adenosine receptor in fed mice recapitulates only some of the attributes of daily torpo. doi:10.1007/s00360-017-1084-7… Continue reading »
Kim, S.*, Tellez, K.*, Buchan, G.* and T. Lebestky. 2016. Fly stampede 2.0: A next generation optomotor assay for walking behavior in Drosophila melanogaster. Frontiers in Neuroscience, doi.org/10.3389/fnmol.2016.00148… Continue reading »
Jiang,Y.*, Pitmon, E.*, Berry, J.*, Wolf, F.W., McKenzie, Z.* and T.J. Lebestky. 2016. A genetic screen to assess dopamine receptor (DopR1) dependent sleep regulation in Drosophila. Genes, Genomics Genetics: 6: 4217-4226. Continue reading »
Here you can find information on the labs taking thesis students. Deadline to apply is February 10th!!! Continue reading »
Erica Chang and Katie Swoap won honorable mention in the best undergraduate poster competition at the 100th Western Society of Naturalists meeting in Monterey, CA, November 10-13, 2016. Their poster was titled “Fluctuating temperatures and thermal stress in mussels: time-dependent responses in respiration, gene expression and growth. ” by Erica… Continue reading »
A Genetic Screen to Assess Dopamine Receptor (DopR1) Dependent Sleep Regulation in Drosophila Yiqin Jiang1, Elise Pitmon1, Jack Berry1, Fred W. Wolf2, Zach McKenzie1 and Tim J. Lebestky1 Abstract Sleep is an essential behavioral state of rest that is regulated by homeostatic drives to ensure a balance of… Continue reading »
Assistant professor of biology Matt Carter talks about summer science research opportunities at Williams involving undergraduate students learning to use optogenetics. Produced for the Office of Communications by Ariana Ross '17 Continue reading »
Obese mice on a high-fat alternate-day fasting regimen lose weight and improve glucose tolerance P. M. N. Joslin, R. K. Bell, and S. J. Swoap Alternate-day fasting (ADF) causes body weight (BW) loss in humans and rodents. However, it is not clear that ADF while maintaining a high-fat (HF) diet results in… Continue reading »
The gene cortex controls mimicry and crypsis in butterflies and moths NADEAU N.J., PARDO-DIAZ C., WHIBLEY A., SUPPLE M.A., SAENKO S.V., WALLBANK R.W.R., WU G.C., MAROJA L.S. FERGUSON L., HANLYJ.J., HINES H., SALAZAR C., MERRILL R.M., DOWLING A.J., FFRENCH-CONSTANT R.H., LLAURENS V., JORONM, MCMILLAN W.O. & JIGGINS C.D. (2016). Nature… Continue reading »
Elise Pitmon ’16, Gabe Stephens ’15, Sarah Parkhurst, Fred Wolf, Greg Kehne’16, Michael Taylor and Tim Lebestky The D1 Family Dopamine Receptor, DopR, potentiates hindleg grooming behavior in Drosophila. Drosophila groom away debris and pathogens from the body using their legs in a stereotyped sequence of innate motor behaviors. Here, we investigated… Continue reading »
The wavy mutation maps to the Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 3-kinase 2 (IP3K2) gene of Drosophila and interacts with IP3R to affect wing development Derek M. Dean*1, Luana S. Maroja*, Sarah Cottrill*, Brent E. Bomkamp*, Kathleen A. Westervelt*, and David L. Deitcher ABSTRACT Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) regulates a host of… Continue reading »
Genes with Restricted Introgression in a Field Cricket (Gryllus firmus/Gryllus pennsylvanicus) Hybrid Zone Are Concentrated on the X Chromosome and a Single Autosome Luana S. Maroja,*,1 Erica L. Larson,† Steven M. Bogdanowicz,‡ and Richard G. Harrison‡ Abstract Characterizing the extent of… Continue reading »
Characterizing the extent of genomic differentiation between recently diverged lineages provides an important context for understanding the early stages of speciation. When such lineages form discrete hybrid zones, patterns of differential introgression allow direct estimates of which genome regions are likely involved in speciation and local adaptation. Here we use… Continue reading »
Group Housing and Nest Building Only Slightly Ameliorate the Cold Stress of Typical Housing in in Female C57BL/6J Mice Rebecca L Maher , Shayna M Barbash , Daniel V Lynch… Continue reading »
If you are a bio or chem student, join us Friday, May 15th at 3:30pm in the quad. Games, food and beer!!!… Continue reading »
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