Made the cover for Nov 2024
Cover of Issue 6 (2024). The photograph shows a cluster of larvae of the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster). The larvae
form such clusters for cooperative feeding by exhibiting synchronized digestion and mixing of external food. It is thought
that this cooperation provides fitness benefits to the emerging adults. However, the benefits are offset if too many
individuals aggregate, thereby leading to a depletion of resources. Thus, there is an optimal density of animals at which
cooperation is maximally beneficial. The benefit, reflected by a positive correlation between population density and
individual fitness, is referred to as the 'Allee effect. It is named after Warden Clyde Allee (1885-1955), a zoologist who
spent a major part of his career at the University of Chicago and dedicated most of his research efforts to the study of
animal aggregation and cooperation. In their paper published in Issue 6, Amy Liao, Christy Qian, Sepideh Abdi, Peyton
Yee, Sean Michael Cursain, Niav Condron, and Barry Condron examined how various population parameters impact the
Allee effect by employing different strains of Drosophila, including larvae that cannot exodigest or cluster. These 'cheaters'
gain greatly from the hosts but, paradoxically, so do the hosts. This finding indicates that clustering of Drosophila larvae
and the benefits of this behavior are dependent on more than just the contribution to exodigestion. Thus, this
phenomenon is more complex than previously assumed. For further information see Liao et al. (2024). (Image courtesy
and copyright: Barry G. Condron; text: Günther K.H. Zupanc.)
form such clusters for cooperative feeding by exhibiting synchronized digestion and mixing of external food. It is thought
that this cooperation provides fitness benefits to the emerging adults. However, the benefits are offset if too many
individuals aggregate, thereby leading to a depletion of resources. Thus, there is an optimal density of animals at which
cooperation is maximally beneficial. The benefit, reflected by a positive correlation between population density and
individual fitness, is referred to as the 'Allee effect. It is named after Warden Clyde Allee (1885-1955), a zoologist who
spent a major part of his career at the University of Chicago and dedicated most of his research efforts to the study of
animal aggregation and cooperation. In their paper published in Issue 6, Amy Liao, Christy Qian, Sepideh Abdi, Peyton
Yee, Sean Michael Cursain, Niav Condron, and Barry Condron examined how various population parameters impact the
Allee effect by employing different strains of Drosophila, including larvae that cannot exodigest or cluster. These 'cheaters'
gain greatly from the hosts but, paradoxically, so do the hosts. This finding indicates that clustering of Drosophila larvae
and the benefits of this behavior are dependent on more than just the contribution to exodigestion. Thus, this
phenomenon is more complex than previously assumed. For further information see Liao et al. (2024). (Image courtesy
and copyright: Barry G. Condron; text: Günther K.H. Zupanc.)
New paper under final review:
https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-4669901/v1
https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-4669901/v1
Nithin Revi
Peyton Yee
Graduates 2024
New paper:
Liao, A., Qian, C., Abdi, S. et al. Population parameters of Drosophila larval cooperative foraging. J Comp Physiol A (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-024-01701-w
Liao, A., Qian, C., Abdi, S. et al. Population parameters of Drosophila larval cooperative foraging. J Comp Physiol A (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-024-01701-w
Mark Dombrovski gives the Fleming seminar at UVa
Lab MEmbers, Summer 2023
Met Mark Dombrovski at Janelia
Peyton Yee, at SfN Chapter meeting
John Chen, one of the first grad students from the lab visits. Finds his old forceps.
Peyton Yee presenting her work at a Caltech summer program
Move into our sparkling new lab!
Bridgett Bucci and Mariann Kazakis win first and third prizes for the Katz research symposium at UVa ($1000 and $500). A 38 year tradition at UVa.
Amy Liao and Christy Qian win Harrison Awards and present their work.