The fundamental understanding of biological processes in the healthy state is both of great interest in its own right, and is essential for development of translational applications.
Drosophila melanogaster research has been instrumental in revealing many aspects of normal biology, across a wide range of different processes including but not limited to:
- signalling pathways used in development and dysregulated in disease
- mechanics of tissue remodelling; gene expression regulation
- subcellular organisation, and key aspects of neural function.
The impact of these discoveries has been recognised by several Nobel prizes in Physiology or Medicine – the most recent one for the molecular basis of circadian rhythms. All these insights and many more feed into biomedical research in vertebrates aimed at understanding, treating and preventing disease.
These advances, and the sophisticated genetic resources developed alongside, also feed into programmes aimed at controlling insect populations to underpin food security and control vector-borne disease transmission in the future.
There are many technical and scientific advantages for the use of Drosophila rather than vertebrates or in vitro systems for discovery science. Moreover, Drosophila is an excellent replacement organism in animal research. This network allows researchers with other specialisms to tap into these advantages without having to become Drosophila experts.
Within this Special Interest Group we have expertise in many cutting edge Drosophila techniques, and links to the broader UK and international fly communities. This generates an extremely supportive and well-informed training environment for our students and staff.
The fundamental understanding of biological processes in the healthy state is both of great interest in its own right, and is essential for development of translational applications. Drosophila melanogaster research has been instrumental in revealing many aspects of normal biology, across a wide range of different processes including but not limited to: signalling pathways used in development and dysregulated in disease; mechanics of tissue remodelling; gene expression regulation; subcellular organisation, and key aspects of neural function. The impact of these discoveries has been recognised by several Nobel prizes in Physiology or Medicine – the most recent one for the molecular basis of circadian rhythms. All these insights and many more feed into biomedical research in vertebrates aimed at understanding, treating and preventing disease. These advances, and the sophisticated genetic resources developed alongside, also feed into programmes aimed at controlling insect populations to underpin food security and control vector-borne disease transmission in the future.
There are many technical and scientific advantages for the use of Drosophila rather than vertebrates or in vitro systems for discovery science. Moreover, Drosophila is an excellent replacement organism in animal research. This network allows researchers with other specialisms to tap into these advantages without having to become Drosophila experts.
Within this Special Interest Group we have expertise in many cutting edge Drosophila techniques, and links to the broader UK and international fly communities. This generates an extremely supportive and well-informed training environment for our students and staff.
Aims
Cardiff University has a vibrant Drosophila research community with expertise across a wide range of techniques, from classical genetics, through biochemistry, advanced molecular genetics, cell biology, neurophysiology and behaviour.
This Special Interest Group provides easy access to in vivo research systems for University researchers, across biological/ biomedical/ biophysical disciplines, through interactions with the Drosophila research groups. This facilitates collaborations between the specialists and other researchers interested in using Drosophila in their research. This approach is particularly attractive in the current research climate, which demands multidisciplinary teams to tackle key biological & health-related questions from a variety of angles. Moreover, the inexpensive nature of Drosophila culturing allows easy acquisition of preliminary data in vivo to support more ambitious research programmes.
We reinforce research connections within the Cardiff Drosophila community, and supports our links with other Drosophila groups within the South West and the rest of the UK.
Research
The Drosophila in vivo analysis Special Interest Group comprises seven Drosophila groups; five collocated in purpose-built lab space in the Sir Martin Evans Building, two in the Haydn Ellis building. These groups individually specialise in:
- Regulation of progenitor cells & developmental biology, particularly in the context of muscle and neural system Mike Taylor;
- Regulation of gene expression in reproductive tissues Helen White-Cooper;
- Localisation & translational regulation of RNA in developmental contexts Sonia Lopez de Quinto;
- Encoding of taste and smell stimuli and the behavioural response to such stimuli Wynand van der Goes van Naters;
- Cell-cell communication, cell elimination from epithelia, organ size control, and cancer Fisun Hamaratoglu;
- Regulation of axon destruction in neurodegenerative disease Owen Peters;
- Mitochondrial dynamics in axons Gaynor Smith.
The Cardiff fly community has developed collaborative links with researchers in other disciplines in Cardiff to leverage the power of Drosophila genetics in investigating the molecular mechanism underpinning basic biology & human-related diseases, as well as developing novel translational tools.
The Drosophila in vivo analysis Special Interest Group has expertise in:
- Classical Drosophila genetics, including analysis of mutants, transgenesis and RNAi.
- Forward and reverse genetic screens
- Gene knockouts and manipulation via CRISPR.
- Mosaic analysis including positively marked clones (MARCM) and multi-colour lineage tracing.
- Molecular biology and gene expression analysis, including Q-RT-PCR with very limiting starting material, mutations and evolution.
- Genomics, transcriptomics and other high thoughout sequencing approaches, including mutation identification, RNA-seq, circ-RNA-seq, MNase-seq, ChIP-seq.
- Developmental biology, including embryogenesis, organ growth, tissue remodelling, reproduction.
- Cell biology, including imaging of subcellularly localised RNAs and proteins, cell migration in vivo.
- Biochemistry, including RNA-protein and DNA-protein complexes.
- Neuroscience, including imaging of single neurons in vivo and electrophysiology.
- Behaviour, including mating assays and fertility, movement, lifespan, response to odours.
Projects
Collaborative projects within the Drosophila in vivo analysis Special Interest Group network include:
- Helen White-Cooper and Mike Taylor are working on the regulation of chromatin architecture in differentiating and differentiated tissues in Drosophila.
- Helen White-Cooper and Sonia Lopez de Quinto are investigating the role of the RNA export pathway in gene expression.
- Gaynor Smith and Wynand van der Goes van Naters are working on glutathione oxidation and regulation of mitochondrial populations in axons.
- Owen Peters and Gaynor Smith investigate autophagic and endo-lysosomal dysfunction in neurodegenerative disease.
- Fisun Hamaratoglu and Helen White-Cooper manage projects regarding cell elimination on identity loss during development.
Examples of collaborative projects within the wider the Drosophila in vivo analysis Special Interest Group network include:
- In the School of Biosciences, Wynand van der Goes van Naters with Mark Young investigate flies as a drug screening platform to identify P2X therapeutic targets.
- Mike Taylor with Kathryn Peall in the School of Medicines run projects regarding fruit flies as a model for human neuromuscular diseases.
- In the School of Chemistry there is a collaborative project between Wynand van der Goes van Naters with John Pickett investigating the chemical attraction of pest insects to host plants.
- Owen Peters with Julie Williams are investigating the role of Alzheimer’s risk genes in Drosophila in the School of Medicine.
Meet the team
Lead researcher
Academic staff
Next steps
Research that matters
Our research makes a difference to people’s lives as we work across disciplines to tackle major challenges facing society, the economy and our environment.
Postgraduate research
Our research degrees give the opportunity to investigate a specific topic in depth among field-leading researchers.
Our research impact
Our research case studies highlight some of the areas where we deliver positive research impact.