Neural mechanisms of memory, motivation and individuality

Learning permits animals to convert innate reflexive behavioural responses into meaningful stimulus-guided actions. Scott studies how sensory-motor transformations are implemented and altered in the nervous system. His research uses genetic, anatomical, physiological and behavioural approaches in the fruit fly Drosophila to understand these neural mechanisms at cellular resolution. Current interests include dopaminergic control of reward learning and of hunger- and thirst-motivated behaviours. Scott’s group also identified neural transposition in the fly brain and study how the resulting genetic heterogeneity might contribute to organismal individuality.