How temperature affects how fruit flies sense odors
Official title: Mechanisms of temperature dependent odor coding in Drosophila melanogaster
Funded at Yale University · NIH-11163931 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how temperature affects how fruit flies smell things, which could help us understand how our brains process different scents.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Fellowship grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project start | January 30, 2025 |
| Project end | March 29, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $34,552 |
| NIH project number | 1F31DC022188-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11163931 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for benefiting from this research would be individuals with cognitive impairments or sensory processing disorders.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have cognitive or sensory processing issues may not receive direct benefits from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how temperature influences the way fruit flies, specifically Drosophila melanogaster, process odor information. By examining the interactions between temperature and olfactory signals in the brain, the study aims to uncover the cellular and circuit-level mechanisms involved in sensory processing. The researchers will utilize advanced techniques such as extracellular recordings and intracellular patch-clamp recordings to analyze how temperature alters the behavior of neurons responsible for smell. This work could provide insights into the fundamental principles of sensory integration and processing in the brain.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could enhance our understanding of sensory processing, potentially leading to new strategies for addressing cognitive impairments related to sensory dysfunction.
How similar studies have gone: While the specific approach of this research is novel, similar studies have shown success in understanding sensory processing in other model organisms.
Where this research is happening
-
Yale University
New Haven, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dickinson, Evyn Sabir — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Dickinson, Evyn Sabir
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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.