Michael N. Nitabach

This study identifies DAF-2 as a key modulator of risky foraging behavior in C. elegans under food deprivation and shows multiple downstream pathways, including DAF-16 and CASY-1, are involved.

The paper models memory dynamics in Drosophila mushroom bodies using a dopaminergic plasticity rule and circuit structure to explain memory acquisition, transfer, and exploration-exploitation trade-offs.

The paper identifies a neural signature in Drosophila that encodes food choice during sensory conflict by integrating internal state and experience.

The paper identifies a cholinergic relay mechanism in Drosophila that transforms the absence of punishment into a reward signal through dopamine neuron interactions.

This study shows C. elegans can discriminate colors using a system unrelated to opsins, guiding foraging behavior based on light absorption by toxins.