Pinto-Teixeira Lab

We study how neural circuits are assembled during development, and how changes in neuronal circuity wiring impinge on neuronal function and behavior when development goes wrong.

Brain function relies on the communication between millions of neurons comprising numerous subtypes, which are precisely connected in discrete networks where each is devoted to specific tasks. The activity of each neuron is a direct consequence of its fine-tuned morphology, which dictates the numbers of connections it makes with other neurons.

We use the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster visual system as a model to understand the genetic, molecular and cellular mechanisms that regulate wiring specificity, from development to circuit function.

Read more about our research here.