Understanding how C. elegans worms coordinate their movements in groups.
Official title: Emergent Behavior in a Dish: Discovery of Bi-directional Spiraling as a Population Phenomenon in C. elegans Enables In-Depth Dissection of Mechanisms Underlying Group Behaviors
Funded at University of California, San Francisco · NIH-10894308 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how groups of tiny worms called C. elegans move together in sync when they sense changes in their surroundings, helping us learn more about how they communicate and work as a team.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $122,904 |
| NIH project number | 5K99GM151521-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10894308 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for benefiting from this research include individuals interested in the biological mechanisms of behavior and communication.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with no interest in biological research or those not affected by behavioral disorders may not find direct benefits from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how groups of C. elegans worms exhibit coordinated movement in response to environmental cues. By observing these worms in a controlled setting, the study aims to uncover the mechanisms behind their emergent group behaviors, such as synchronized spiraling. The approach involves manipulating the environment and observing the worms' responses, providing insights into how individual actions contribute to collective behavior. This could enhance our understanding of communication and interaction in biological systems.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to breakthroughs in understanding group behavior in various organisms, potentially informing treatments for conditions related to social behavior in humans.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown success in studying group behaviors in various species, suggesting that this approach may yield valuable insights.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Persson, Laura — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Persson, Laura
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
How cancer cells use exosomes to evade the immune system
This study is looking at how cancer cells use tiny bubbles called exosomes to hide proteins that can keep your immune system from fighting the tumor, and by figuring this out, the researchers hope to help doctors understand why some people respond well to cancer treatments while others don’t, ultimately aiming to creat
-
Reducing harm from smoking using electronic cigarettes
This study is looking at whether using electronic cigarettes can be a safer option for people who smoke traditional cigarettes, by comparing the health effects and exposure to harmful substances between the two.
-
Understanding how knee pain and knee obesity and muscle loss affect knee osteoarthritis
This project looks at how knee swelling, excess knee fat, and muscle loss relate to pain and structural changes in knee osteoarthritis in adults.
-
Cutaneous opioid signals in skin inflammation
A mentor-identified clinician-researcher at UCSF is studying how natural skin opioids regulate itch and pain in inflammatory skin conditions like eczema and hidradenitis, with plans to map where these opioids come from and how they affect skin nerves.
-
Pooling international data to understand long-term bisphosphonate use and atypical femur fractures
This project combines large patient datasets from multiple countries to understand how long-term bisphosphonate use relates to rare hip and thigh bone fractures, helping doctors and patients make safer treatment choices.
-
Airway cell and immune cell talks in lung transplant failure
This grant tests how airway cells and immune cells interact to drive chronic rejection after lung transplant, with the goal of slowing or preventing scar-like damage.
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.