Decoding neuropeptide signalling networks underlying experience-dependent brain plasticity

Animal brains are wired according to genetic programs that evolved over millions of years. Much of our behavior, however, is shaped by experiences during life that reprogram the brain by altering gene expression. The aim of this Ph.D. project is to deliver a much-needed understanding of how these lasting changes alter brain function. Many genes regulated by experience have been identified. Yet, how they sculpt neural circuits and behavior is poorly understood. To bridge this gap, we will use the mini-brain of C. elegans. We recently discovered that activity-dependent neuropeptide expression in modulates C. elegans behavioral responses to specific sensory inputs. We will study how these genes contribute to experience-dependent changes in neural activity and behavior, and unravel the cellular pathways regulating their expression. This project will shed light on fundamental mechanisms that underpin experience-dependent gene expression and its role in neural plasticity. Because the molecular pathways and gene targets involved in activity-regulated transcription are evolutionarily ancient and well conserved, from worms to humans, we expect our findings will contribute to insights on how experience reprograms more complex brains.