Work in my laboratory aims to understand the molecular mechanisms of pain signaling. To this end, we have developed Drosophila as a model system for the study of nociception. In this talk I will first describe our work that has identified evolutionarily conserved molecules that are used for sensing pain in the fly larvae. I will explain how we identified the pain sensing neurons of the larvae which in turn led to the discovery of additional pain sensing molecules. Finally, I will discuss our recent work that has used our fly system to investigate the excruciatingly painful venom that is delivered by the sting of the Scarlet Velvet Ant Dasymutilla occidentalis.

 

東京大学大学院理学系研究科・生物科学専攻・脳機能学研究室