Prof. Moshe Parnas

Senior Lecturer, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine and Sagol School of Neuroscience

Neural Circuits and Olfactory Perception in Drosophila

Research topic:

We study two main topics: first, how neural circuits encode information and support behavior, learning and memory. Second, understanding the molecular basis of brain disorders and its effects on the neural network connectivity and activity.

Research methods:

Our model system is the Drosophila olfaction system. We use a multidisciplinary approach that includes: in vivo whole cell patch recordings, in vivo functional imaging, behavior experiments, molecular biology, mathematical modelling and genetics.

Projects at the lab include:

1. Neuropeptidergic modulation of olfactory learning and memory.
2. What neural codes underlie brain function?
3. Generation of neurodegenerative disease models in flies.

Manuscripts

1. Lerner H., Rozenman B., Huetteroth W., and Parnas M., (2019). Differential Role for a Defined Lateral Horn Neuron Subset in Naïve Odor Valence in Drosophila. Sci Rep. 2020;10(1):6147
    
2. Rozenfeld E., Lerner H., and Parnas M., (2019). Muscarinic Modulation of Antennal Lobe GABAergic Local Neurons Shapes Odor Coding and Behavior. Cell Reports, 29, 3253-3265.e4.
    
3. Bielopolski N., Amin H., Apostolopoulou AA., Rozenfeld E., Lerner H., Huetteroth W., Lin AC. and Parnas M. (2019). Inhibitory muscarinic acetylcholine receptors enhance aversive olfactory conditioning in adult Drosophila. eLife, 8, 6
    
4. Bentzur A., Shmueli A., Omesi L., Ryvkin J., Knapp JM., Parnas M., Davis FP., Shohat-Ophir G. (2018). Odorant binding protein 69a connects social interaction to modulation of social responsiveness in Drosophila. PLoS Genetics, 9;14(4):e1007328
    
5. Har-Gil H., Golgher L., Israel S., Kain D., Cheshnovsky O., Parnas M., and Blinder P. (2018). PySight: plug and play photon counting for fast continuous volumetric intravital microscopy. Optica, 9:1104-1112
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6. Parnas, M., Lin, A.C., Huetteroth. W., and Miesenböck, G. (2013). Odor discrimination in Drosophila: From neural population codes to behavior. Neuron, 79:932-944,

Review

Parnas, M., Peters, M., and Minke, B. (2012). Biophysics of TRP Channels. Editor: Edward H. Egelman, In: Comprehensive Biophysics, Vol 6, Channels Proteins, Mauricio Montal. Oxford: Academic Press, pp. 68-107.