How brain circuits and genes control appetite and foraging
Molecular and Neural Mechanisms Regulating Foraging and Food Intake
Using fruit flies, this work looks at how specific genes and brain circuits control appetite and foraging to help people with obesity or eating disorders.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cornell University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ithaca, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11091032 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's point of view, the team studies tiny fruit flies to learn which genes and nerve cells change when animals are hungry or full. They watch brain and gut neurons in real time with special imaging while flies eat, and they track individual feeding and foraging behaviors with high-resolution tests. By linking genes, cell activity, and behavior, the researchers aim to map the circuits that drive appetite. Those maps can point toward biological targets for future treatments for overeating or loss of appetite.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with obesity, binge eating, or restrictive eating disorders may benefit from the discoveries and could be candidates for follow-up clinical research based on these findings.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate clinical treatments or those with conditions unrelated to appetite and body weight are unlikely to see direct benefit from this basic fly research right away.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal biological targets in the brain or gut that lead to new therapies for obesity and eating disorders.
How similar studies have performed: Related research in rodents and some human studies has linked brain circuits to appetite, while the fly work offers powerful genetic tools to map mechanisms in greater detail and is complementary to those approaches.
Where this research is happening
Ithaca, United States
- Cornell University — Ithaca, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yapici, Nilay — Cornell University
- Study coordinator: Yapici, Nilay
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.