The first project, “Thermal Preference in Drosophila,” aims to determine which species and strains of Drosophila favor which thermal environments. Depending on their location of origin, the elevation at which they were found, and other factors--including physiology—they speculate that many correlations can be made to the amount of time spent at a specific temperature.
To measure this, they use a heating array, composed of an eighteen-track apparatus, two modules (one that produces heat and one that expels heat), and a camera recorder.
The second project, “Throughput Analyses of Courtship in Drosophila,” was a project Andrew joined the lab to do. He started by collecting flies from a strain of interest and anesthetizing them using carbon dioxide. In looking at a vial of flies under a microscope (while anesthetized), then sort them by sex into piles, which are then transferred to two separate vials.
From here, he can take one individual from each vial (one male and one female) to place in a 3D printed arena, covered by a small piece of plexiglass with a portal. This is just like the plexiglass on the eighteen-track apparatus, only smaller and with only one hole. The flies are then recorded for fifteen minutes, removed, and swapped out for another pair. Six pairs are recorded per strain, then the files from the SD card are uploaded to AI for analysis.
Andrew has benefited immensely in knowledge and applicable skills. He says “My career aspiration is to enter a neuroscientific field--possibly as a lab manager or psychiatrist--so understanding animal behaviors is fundamental to my future role. I find Drosophila particularly fascinating because, while they are significantly smaller than humans, they have astonishingly quick life cycles, are easy to breed, and can be observed for a variety of genetic and environmental influences. These features make them ideal model organisms, and with the first full connectome of the fly brain being publicized by the NIH earlier this month, the possibilities for research are broader and more diverse than ever.
My knowledge of fly behavior, as well as human behavior by association, has been enhanced due to my time in the lab. My lab skills—such as aspirating, using light microscopes, safely anesthetizing small subjects, and using AI tools—have also been improved.
Through the new connections I have made at lab meetings, during research sessions, and outside of the lab, I have found peers I call my friends. I even play recreational soccer with some of them on occasion!
This opportunity has been indispensable for me as a student, future researcher, and lifelong learner. As I progress onward, I hope to carry these first experiences with dignity and honor and continue to expand my knowledge and abilities.”
More details at: https://cas.unl.edu/gaining-experience-fly/