Meet Zandawala
@zandawala.bsky.social
Assistant Professor (University of Nevada Reno)
Group leader (University of Würzburg)
Interested in neuromodulation of Drosophila physiology and behavior
Group leader (University of Würzburg)
Interested in neuromodulation of Drosophila physiology and behavior
Pinned
Meet Zandawala
@zandawala.bsky.social
· Nov 13
Anti-diuretic hormone ITP signals via a guanylate cyclase receptor to modulate systemic homeostasis in Drosophila
A multi-pronged approach reveals that ion transport peptide neuropeptide acts through the guanylate cyclase receptor Gyc76C to coordinate osmotic and metabolic homeostasis across multiple tissues in D...
doi.org
🚀 New paper alert!
Thrilled to share our latest study led by postdoc
@gera_jayati
published in eLife.
👉 doi.org/10.7554/eLif...
Continue reading for a summary. 🧵
Thrilled to share our latest study led by postdoc
@gera_jayati
published in eLife.
👉 doi.org/10.7554/eLif...
Continue reading for a summary. 🧵
Reposted by Meet Zandawala
Educators, the deadline to apply for our python workshop is approaching quickly! Apply by February 2 to join us in Seattle for this hands-on workshop.
💻 No prior coding experience needed.
✈️ Travel, meals, & stipend included.
🔗 https://alleninstitute.org/events/educator-coding-workshop-2026/
💻 No prior coding experience needed.
✈️ Travel, meals, & stipend included.
🔗 https://alleninstitute.org/events/educator-coding-workshop-2026/
January 26, 2026 at 8:52 PM
Educators, the deadline to apply for our python workshop is approaching quickly! Apply by February 2 to join us in Seattle for this hands-on workshop.
💻 No prior coding experience needed.
✈️ Travel, meals, & stipend included.
🔗 https://alleninstitute.org/events/educator-coding-workshop-2026/
💻 No prior coding experience needed.
✈️ Travel, meals, & stipend included.
🔗 https://alleninstitute.org/events/educator-coding-workshop-2026/
Reposted by Meet Zandawala
The second paper from the lab is now available on bioRxiv: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
We discovered that cannibalistic behavior in fly larvae is social-context dependent. Larval groups avoid dead conspecifics; individuals show high attraction. They only do it when no one is watching 😉
We discovered that cannibalistic behavior in fly larvae is social-context dependent. Larval groups avoid dead conspecifics; individuals show high attraction. They only do it when no one is watching 😉
January 21, 2026 at 12:29 PM
The second paper from the lab is now available on bioRxiv: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
We discovered that cannibalistic behavior in fly larvae is social-context dependent. Larval groups avoid dead conspecifics; individuals show high attraction. They only do it when no one is watching 😉
We discovered that cannibalistic behavior in fly larvae is social-context dependent. Larval groups avoid dead conspecifics; individuals show high attraction. They only do it when no one is watching 😉
Reposted by Meet Zandawala
📣First preprint of the lab📣 Did that really happen?😅
Enteric neurons, aka somatic postmitotic cells, must hold on to their sex identity tight, to deliver a tuned response to signals from the ovary that instruct the animal to engage sex-matched behavioural programmes.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Enteric neurons, aka somatic postmitotic cells, must hold on to their sex identity tight, to deliver a tuned response to signals from the ovary that instruct the animal to engage sex-matched behavioural programmes.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Genetic sex of enteric neurons enables ovarian relaxin to gate maternal gut plasticity
Animals must align intestinal plasticity and feeding with reproductive state, yet the checkpoint that gates these adaptations is unknown. Here we show that an ovary-to-enteric-neuron axis gates the on...
www.biorxiv.org
January 11, 2026 at 3:32 PM
📣First preprint of the lab📣 Did that really happen?😅
Enteric neurons, aka somatic postmitotic cells, must hold on to their sex identity tight, to deliver a tuned response to signals from the ovary that instruct the animal to engage sex-matched behavioural programmes.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Enteric neurons, aka somatic postmitotic cells, must hold on to their sex identity tight, to deliver a tuned response to signals from the ovary that instruct the animal to engage sex-matched behavioural programmes.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Reposted by Meet Zandawala
I ignored the strip.clip argument in #ggplot2 for way too long 😲
Combined with a small negative margin tweak, you can place facet labels inside each panel. A tiny trick that makes small multiples feel so much cleaner.
🔵 no manual coordinates
🔵 inherits theme styling
🔵 scales nicely when resizing
Combined with a small negative margin tweak, you can place facet labels inside each panel. A tiny trick that makes small multiples feel so much cleaner.
🔵 no manual coordinates
🔵 inherits theme styling
🔵 scales nicely when resizing
December 12, 2025 at 12:51 PM
I ignored the strip.clip argument in #ggplot2 for way too long 😲
Combined with a small negative margin tweak, you can place facet labels inside each panel. A tiny trick that makes small multiples feel so much cleaner.
🔵 no manual coordinates
🔵 inherits theme styling
🔵 scales nicely when resizing
Combined with a small negative margin tweak, you can place facet labels inside each panel. A tiny trick that makes small multiples feel so much cleaner.
🔵 no manual coordinates
🔵 inherits theme styling
🔵 scales nicely when resizing
Reposted by Meet Zandawala
How do neural circuits generate the walking rhythm?
Using connectome simulations, @sarahpugly.bsky.social found a minimal central pattern generator (CPG) that produces oscillations in leg motor neurons. Same circuit motif for each 🪰 leg.
w @bingbrunton.bsky.social
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Using connectome simulations, @sarahpugly.bsky.social found a minimal central pattern generator (CPG) that produces oscillations in leg motor neurons. Same circuit motif for each 🪰 leg.
w @bingbrunton.bsky.social
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
December 9, 2025 at 5:50 PM
How do neural circuits generate the walking rhythm?
Using connectome simulations, @sarahpugly.bsky.social found a minimal central pattern generator (CPG) that produces oscillations in leg motor neurons. Same circuit motif for each 🪰 leg.
w @bingbrunton.bsky.social
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Using connectome simulations, @sarahpugly.bsky.social found a minimal central pattern generator (CPG) that produces oscillations in leg motor neurons. Same circuit motif for each 🪰 leg.
w @bingbrunton.bsky.social
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Meet Zandawala
New work reveals Gyc76C as the receptor for the anti-diuretic hormone ITPa in flies, uncovering how it helps control hydration and metabolic balance.
buff.ly/iTlvevz
buff.ly/iTlvevz
November 28, 2025 at 9:02 PM
New work reveals Gyc76C as the receptor for the anti-diuretic hormone ITPa in flies, uncovering how it helps control hydration and metabolic balance.
buff.ly/iTlvevz
buff.ly/iTlvevz
Highly recommend!
Our python workshop is returning! Undergraduate educators, join us on July 27-30 for "Coding with Allen Institute Data."
No prior coding experience needed. Travel, meals, & stipend included.
Apply by Feb. 2 at: https://alleninstitute.org/events/educator-coding-workshop-2026/
#iTeachBio #EduSky
No prior coding experience needed. Travel, meals, & stipend included.
Apply by Feb. 2 at: https://alleninstitute.org/events/educator-coding-workshop-2026/
#iTeachBio #EduSky
November 26, 2025 at 6:19 AM
Highly recommend!
Reposted by Meet Zandawala
Our python workshop is returning! Undergraduate educators, join us on July 27-30 for "Coding with Allen Institute Data."
No prior coding experience needed. Travel, meals, & stipend included.
Apply by Feb. 2 at: https://alleninstitute.org/events/educator-coding-workshop-2026/
#iTeachBio #EduSky
No prior coding experience needed. Travel, meals, & stipend included.
Apply by Feb. 2 at: https://alleninstitute.org/events/educator-coding-workshop-2026/
#iTeachBio #EduSky
November 25, 2025 at 11:11 PM
Our python workshop is returning! Undergraduate educators, join us on July 27-30 for "Coding with Allen Institute Data."
No prior coding experience needed. Travel, meals, & stipend included.
Apply by Feb. 2 at: https://alleninstitute.org/events/educator-coding-workshop-2026/
#iTeachBio #EduSky
No prior coding experience needed. Travel, meals, & stipend included.
Apply by Feb. 2 at: https://alleninstitute.org/events/educator-coding-workshop-2026/
#iTeachBio #EduSky
Reposted by Meet Zandawala
High-resolution single-cell analyses reveal evolutionary constraints and evolvability of sexual circuits in Drosophila | PNAS www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
High-resolution single-cell analyses reveal evolutionary constraints and evolvability of sexual circuits in Drosophila | PNAS
Understanding how the cellular and molecular composition of neural circuits evolves
to generate species-specific behaviors remains a major challeng...
www.pnas.org
November 25, 2025 at 4:05 PM
High-resolution single-cell analyses reveal evolutionary constraints and evolvability of sexual circuits in Drosophila | PNAS www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Reposted by Meet Zandawala
🚨 Postdoc openings!
We’re looking for postdocs excited about sleep, synapses & cellular neurophysiology (fly or mouse).
Yes, we also have mouse projects!
See details: www.flysleeplab.com/positions
We’re looking for postdocs excited about sleep, synapses & cellular neurophysiology (fly or mouse).
Yes, we also have mouse projects!
See details: www.flysleeplab.com/positions
Positions | flysleeplab
www.flysleeplab.com
November 15, 2025 at 3:22 PM
🚨 Postdoc openings!
We’re looking for postdocs excited about sleep, synapses & cellular neurophysiology (fly or mouse).
Yes, we also have mouse projects!
See details: www.flysleeplab.com/positions
We’re looking for postdocs excited about sleep, synapses & cellular neurophysiology (fly or mouse).
Yes, we also have mouse projects!
See details: www.flysleeplab.com/positions
🚀 New paper alert!
Thrilled to share our latest study led by postdoc
@gera_jayati
published in eLife.
👉 doi.org/10.7554/eLif...
Continue reading for a summary. 🧵
Thrilled to share our latest study led by postdoc
@gera_jayati
published in eLife.
👉 doi.org/10.7554/eLif...
Continue reading for a summary. 🧵
Anti-diuretic hormone ITP signals via a guanylate cyclase receptor to modulate systemic homeostasis in Drosophila
A multi-pronged approach reveals that ion transport peptide neuropeptide acts through the guanylate cyclase receptor Gyc76C to coordinate osmotic and metabolic homeostasis across multiple tissues in D...
doi.org
November 13, 2025 at 5:59 PM
🚀 New paper alert!
Thrilled to share our latest study led by postdoc
@gera_jayati
published in eLife.
👉 doi.org/10.7554/eLif...
Continue reading for a summary. 🧵
Thrilled to share our latest study led by postdoc
@gera_jayati
published in eLife.
👉 doi.org/10.7554/eLif...
Continue reading for a summary. 🧵
Reposted by Meet Zandawala
Preparations for the next JEDI meeting are underway! The upcoming Junior European #Drosophila Investigator / #NewPI meeting is planned for Portugal in June. Final dates and additional details will be announced soon - stay tuned for updates!
October 28, 2025 at 10:14 PM
Preparations for the next JEDI meeting are underway! The upcoming Junior European #Drosophila Investigator / #NewPI meeting is planned for Portugal in June. Final dates and additional details will be announced soon - stay tuned for updates!
Reposted by Meet Zandawala
Excited to return as co-director of the CSHL Drosophila 🪰Neurobiology course in 2026!
Application Deadline: March 27
meetings.cshl.edu/courses.aspx...
@cshlnews.bsky.social
@cshlaboratory.bsky.social
@cshlcourses.bsky.social
#cshlflycourse
#scicomm
#drosophila
🪰🧪
Application Deadline: March 27
meetings.cshl.edu/courses.aspx...
@cshlnews.bsky.social
@cshlaboratory.bsky.social
@cshlcourses.bsky.social
#cshlflycourse
#scicomm
#drosophila
🪰🧪
Drosophila Neurobiology: Genes, Circuits & Behavior
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Meetings & Courses -- a private, non-profit institution with research programs in cancer, neuroscience, plant biology, genomics, bioinformatics.
meetings.cshl.edu
November 8, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Excited to return as co-director of the CSHL Drosophila 🪰Neurobiology course in 2026!
Application Deadline: March 27
meetings.cshl.edu/courses.aspx...
@cshlnews.bsky.social
@cshlaboratory.bsky.social
@cshlcourses.bsky.social
#cshlflycourse
#scicomm
#drosophila
🪰🧪
Application Deadline: March 27
meetings.cshl.edu/courses.aspx...
@cshlnews.bsky.social
@cshlaboratory.bsky.social
@cshlcourses.bsky.social
#cshlflycourse
#scicomm
#drosophila
🪰🧪
Reposted by Meet Zandawala
I am glad to say that the first manuscript from the lab is now available on BioRxiv
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.30.685496v1
We set out to answer a simple question:
If the fruit fly #drosophila cannot see clearly, how would they #sleep?
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.30.685496v1
We set out to answer a simple question:
If the fruit fly #drosophila cannot see clearly, how would they #sleep?
November 4, 2025 at 11:05 AM
I am glad to say that the first manuscript from the lab is now available on BioRxiv
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.30.685496v1
We set out to answer a simple question:
If the fruit fly #drosophila cannot see clearly, how would they #sleep?
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.30.685496v1
We set out to answer a simple question:
If the fruit fly #drosophila cannot see clearly, how would they #sleep?
Reposted by Meet Zandawala
Do flies feel pain?
Spooky new preprint from our lab on the cells and circuits that mediate nociceptive behaviors in adult Drosophila, led by graduate student (and newly minted PhD!) @jonesjes.bsky.social.
🪰⚡👻🎃
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Spooky new preprint from our lab on the cells and circuits that mediate nociceptive behaviors in adult Drosophila, led by graduate student (and newly minted PhD!) @jonesjes.bsky.social.
🪰⚡👻🎃
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
October 29, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Do flies feel pain?
Spooky new preprint from our lab on the cells and circuits that mediate nociceptive behaviors in adult Drosophila, led by graduate student (and newly minted PhD!) @jonesjes.bsky.social.
🪰⚡👻🎃
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Spooky new preprint from our lab on the cells and circuits that mediate nociceptive behaviors in adult Drosophila, led by graduate student (and newly minted PhD!) @jonesjes.bsky.social.
🪰⚡👻🎃
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Meet Zandawala
A functional clock in only two dorsal clock neurons is sufficient to restore the basal circadian activity pattern of Drosophila melanogaster | PNAS www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
A functional clock in only two dorsal clock neurons is sufficient to restore the basal circadian activity pattern of Drosophila melanogaster | PNAS
Circadian clocks form complex networks to orchestrate the behavior and physiology
of animals. Elucidating the organization of these clock networks ...
www.pnas.org
October 28, 2025 at 6:53 PM
A functional clock in only two dorsal clock neurons is sufficient to restore the basal circadian activity pattern of Drosophila melanogaster | PNAS www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Reposted by Meet Zandawala
We are thrilled to announce the inaugural Metabolism in Development & Physiology virtual seminar, a new series connecting researchers across all stages & disciplines in metabolism!
🗓 13 Nov 2025, 16:00 CET
🎙 Alexander Aulehla (EMBL Heidelberg), &
🎙 Christopher Bell (Uni of Oxford)
See you there!
🗓 13 Nov 2025, 16:00 CET
🎙 Alexander Aulehla (EMBL Heidelberg), &
🎙 Christopher Bell (Uni of Oxford)
See you there!
October 28, 2025 at 4:13 PM
We are thrilled to announce the inaugural Metabolism in Development & Physiology virtual seminar, a new series connecting researchers across all stages & disciplines in metabolism!
🗓 13 Nov 2025, 16:00 CET
🎙 Alexander Aulehla (EMBL Heidelberg), &
🎙 Christopher Bell (Uni of Oxford)
See you there!
🗓 13 Nov 2025, 16:00 CET
🎙 Alexander Aulehla (EMBL Heidelberg), &
🎙 Christopher Bell (Uni of Oxford)
See you there!
Reposted by Meet Zandawala
Excited to share our new #biorxivpreprint:
“Sexual dimorphism in the complete connectome of the Drosophila male central nervous system” www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We describe the #connectomics reconstruction and analysis of an entire adult #maleCNS #drosophila central nervous system. 1/10
“Sexual dimorphism in the complete connectome of the Drosophila male central nervous system” www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We describe the #connectomics reconstruction and analysis of an entire adult #maleCNS #drosophila central nervous system. 1/10
October 15, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Excited to share our new #biorxivpreprint:
“Sexual dimorphism in the complete connectome of the Drosophila male central nervous system” www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We describe the #connectomics reconstruction and analysis of an entire adult #maleCNS #drosophila central nervous system. 1/10
“Sexual dimorphism in the complete connectome of the Drosophila male central nervous system” www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We describe the #connectomics reconstruction and analysis of an entire adult #maleCNS #drosophila central nervous system. 1/10
Reposted by Meet Zandawala
Exciting news for #drosophila #connectomics and #neuroscience enthusiasts: the Drosophila male central nervous system connectome is now live for exploration. Find out more at the landing page hosted by our Janelia FlyEM collaborators www.janelia.org/project-team....
Male CNS Connectome
A team of researchers has unveiled the complete connectome of a male fruit fly central nervous system —a seamless map of all the neurons in the brain and nerve cord of a single male fruit fly and the ...
www.janelia.org
October 5, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Exciting news for #drosophila #connectomics and #neuroscience enthusiasts: the Drosophila male central nervous system connectome is now live for exploration. Find out more at the landing page hosted by our Janelia FlyEM collaborators www.janelia.org/project-team....
Any fly neuroscience folks going to SfN this year?
August 25, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Any fly neuroscience folks going to SfN this year?
Reposted by Meet Zandawala
Neuronal diversity is written in transcriptional codes 🧬. But what is the logic of these codes that define cell types and wiring patterns?
To find out we built a #scRNAseq developmental atlas of the Drosophila nerve cord and linked it to the #connectome 🪰🧠
#preprint thread ⬇️1/8
To find out we built a #scRNAseq developmental atlas of the Drosophila nerve cord and linked it to the #connectome 🪰🧠
#preprint thread ⬇️1/8
August 21, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Neuronal diversity is written in transcriptional codes 🧬. But what is the logic of these codes that define cell types and wiring patterns?
To find out we built a #scRNAseq developmental atlas of the Drosophila nerve cord and linked it to the #connectome 🪰🧠
#preprint thread ⬇️1/8
To find out we built a #scRNAseq developmental atlas of the Drosophila nerve cord and linked it to the #connectome 🪰🧠
#preprint thread ⬇️1/8
Reposted by Meet Zandawala
Comparative transcriptomics of lateral hypothalamic cell types reveals conserved growth hormone-tachykinin dynamics in feeding https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.28.667087v1
July 31, 2025 at 9:15 PM
Comparative transcriptomics of lateral hypothalamic cell types reveals conserved growth hormone-tachykinin dynamics in feeding https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.28.667087v1
Reposted by Meet Zandawala
With @megyounger.bsky.social's lab, et al., we present the first connectomics work in the disease-vector mosquito Aedes aegypti, revealing how its brain is wired to detect host cues.
Preprint: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
#Neuroscience #Connectomics #vEM #VectorBiology 🧪
Preprint: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
#Neuroscience #Connectomics #vEM #VectorBiology 🧪
August 3, 2025 at 3:51 AM
With @megyounger.bsky.social's lab, et al., we present the first connectomics work in the disease-vector mosquito Aedes aegypti, revealing how its brain is wired to detect host cues.
Preprint: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
#Neuroscience #Connectomics #vEM #VectorBiology 🧪
Preprint: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
#Neuroscience #Connectomics #vEM #VectorBiology 🧪
Reposted by Meet Zandawala
How is the nervous system organized to coordinate behavior? To approach this massive question, a team led by @asbates.bsky.social, @jasper-tms.bsky.social, @mindyisminsu.bsky.social, & Helen Yang present the BANC: a Brain and Nerve Cord connectome.
Preprint: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
🧪#Neuroskyence
Preprint: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
🧪#Neuroskyence
August 3, 2025 at 3:16 PM
How is the nervous system organized to coordinate behavior? To approach this massive question, a team led by @asbates.bsky.social, @jasper-tms.bsky.social, @mindyisminsu.bsky.social, & Helen Yang present the BANC: a Brain and Nerve Cord connectome.
Preprint: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
🧪#Neuroskyence
Preprint: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
🧪#Neuroskyence
Reposted by Meet Zandawala
Public access to the first fly connectome that spans the whole CNS - BANC!: codex.flywire.ai?dataset=banc
Different from prior connectomes - it is brain + cord (think spinal cord)
We use it to ‘embody’ the system and find it resembles ‘subsumption architecture’ doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Different from prior connectomes - it is brain + cord (think spinal cord)
We use it to ‘embody’ the system and find it resembles ‘subsumption architecture’ doi.org/10.1101/2025...
August 2, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Public access to the first fly connectome that spans the whole CNS - BANC!: codex.flywire.ai?dataset=banc
Different from prior connectomes - it is brain + cord (think spinal cord)
We use it to ‘embody’ the system and find it resembles ‘subsumption architecture’ doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Different from prior connectomes - it is brain + cord (think spinal cord)
We use it to ‘embody’ the system and find it resembles ‘subsumption architecture’ doi.org/10.1101/2025...