The faculty for the Tropical Neuroethology program is drawn from various institutions all over the United States. With their wide range of experiences and common interests, they are able to provide students with opportunities for in-depth study of model animals such as Aplysia , Bursatella, Procambarus and Panulirus while also stimulating interest in other fields of study.
Faculty members represent undergraduate, graduate and professional schools.
The overall goal of our studies is to examine the manner in which the nervous system organizes behavior. Such model systems enable us to take a neuroethological approach to relating neural circuits to simple and complex behaviors. Specific behavior patterns are first observed and quantified in the native environment. Next, we determine the degree to which these behavior patterns persist in the laboratory. Finally, electrophysiological and immunohistochemical methods are used to determine the roles of identified neurons in the execution, suppression, or modulation of specific behavioral components.