Given the breadth of the biological field and of the available UPR mentors, RaMP-UP scholars will be exposed to a broad spectrum of research topics, that includes Neuroscience, Microbiology, Biochemistry, Behavior, Ecology, Development, Cell and Molecular Biology, Evolution, among others.
MENTORS
This ensemble of research mentor is a heterogeneous group of investigators that range from Assistant to Full Professors with extensive mentoring experience.
Agosto, José L.- Circadian Rhythms and Microbiomes – Associate Professor. Studies the relationship between microbiota and behavior, particularly circadian rhythms. Uses Drosophila to take advantage of the large repertoire of molecular genetic tools available, the simpler microbiome, and the deep level of neurobiological understanding. Specifically, they chose the circadian network to study its interaction with gut microbes because its behavioral outputs and molecular components are well characterized and because there is evidence suggesting that gut microbes are communicating with this network. To explore this relationship, flies are treated with wide spectrum antibiotics and found that sleep behavior and the homeostatic response to sleep deprivation are altered. They are currently manipulating gene expression to determine the gene and signaling pathways involved.
