The overall goal of our research is to achieve a greater understanding of the molecular basis of brain aging and how normal aging transitions to pathological aging, giving rise to neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease...
Our mission is to understand the mechanisms and functions of neural computations through the lens of spatial navigation.
We use the brain of the fruit fly Drosophila to investigate these questions. The genetic toolbox of this organism allows us to...
The research interests of the Schwarz lab are centered on the use of genetics to probe the cell biology of the nervous system. We use Drosophila, mouse, and rat neurons to investigate such topics as 1) the manner in which membrane organelles are moved...
The Megason Lab uses imaging-based systems biology to elucidate the systems level principles of animal development. We are particularly interested in long standing problems in embryology whose understanding has defied molecular reduction namely...
Work in my lab is focused on understanding how signals in the brain lead to particular patterns of behavior. We utilize a combination of behavioral, genetic, biochemical, imaging, and electrophysiological techniques to study signaling in the brain of the...
Cell architecture in C. elegans
The question I am interested in is, "How do cells get the right shapes and make the right attachments to build organs?" Single cells have amazing morphologies that determine their function -- nowhere more so than in the...
The molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration in human disorders like Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease remain mysterious, in part because genetic analysis in patients and vertebrate models is laborious. Disease models in simpler...