We are research teams at the University of Birmingham using the fruit-fly Drosophila as a model organism and supported by the Birmingham Fly Facility.
The fruit-fly Drosophila melanogaster is the most powerful model organism for in vivo genetic analysis of biological processes. Drosophila has enabled fundamental discoveries on how life works, its underlying and universal principles. Six Nobel Prizes have been awarded for discoveries made using fruit-flies. Fundamental Drosophila research contributes to the understanding of human health and disease.
We investigate from the molecular to the organismal levels. We are addressing questions into how RNA is regulated to generate cell type diversity and neuronal function; what are the molecular mechanisms that control RNA splicing, processing translation and decay; how chromatin modifying complexes regulate gene expression to control developmental innate immunity and other pathways. At the cell biology level, we investigate how cells ‘know’ how to achieve normal organ and organismal integrity, how they regulate each other to maintain tissue homeostasis, prevent cancer and enable regeneration. We investigate the brain, here linking genes, molecules, neural circuits and behaviour. We want to understand how the brain changes throughout life, how behaviour relates to brain structure; whether we can use genetics to promote central nervous system regeneration after injury; how RNA splicing impacts in behaviour; how we make decisions upon conflicting possibilities; and how disruptions on molecular events result in brain disease.
The Birmingham Fly Facility has, as well as standard wet-labs, microscopy rooms and access to confocal microscopes, the Facility has:
- Fly-rooms for genetics and fly-pushing
- Sorting UV/LED dissecting microscopes for selecting fluorescently tagged flies
- Behaviour labs
- Transgenesis station in a temperature-controlled 18°C room, comprising:
a fly incubator, a dissecting microscopy to align the eggs, an inverted microscope for the injections with a micromanipulator operated by a pump and a needle puller.
- Fly stock room, temperature-controlled at 18°C
- Fly kitchen for making fly-food
Birmingham Fly Facility Kitchen
a dedicated team of technicians carries out:
- Fly-food making and disposal (including autoclaving of waste).
- Orders of fly-food reagents (vials, cotton, flugs, food components, etc).
Birmingham Fly Facility Kitchen Manager: Shrikant Jondhale
For all enquiries on sales and products, please contact Mr Jondhale at: S.Jondhale@bham.ac.uk
Fly Kitchen Technicians: