Matt Collie
@mottcallie.bsky.social
🧠 neuroscientist. 🪰 fly postdoc in the wilson lab (harvard) studying the neural mechanisms of adaptive feedback control. he/him.
Always fun designing the most unnecessarily extravagant posters for our department happy hours 😁
November 4, 2025 at 6:20 PM
Always fun designing the most unnecessarily extravagant posters for our department happy hours 😁
(3) We then show that female AOTU neurons are similar to their male counterparts, in terms of their LC10a connections and visual receptive field properties. These results argue that the core visual pursuit circuit has similar physiological properties in both sexes.
November 3, 2025 at 4:58 PM
(3) We then show that female AOTU neurons are similar to their male counterparts, in terms of their LC10a connections and visual receptive field properties. These results argue that the core visual pursuit circuit has similar physiological properties in both sexes.
(2) We show that optostimulation of "arousal neurons" in females (i.e., aIPg cells) drives visual pursuit and preferentially depolarizes AOTU019. Previously, we had shown that the same is true in aroused males (i.e., P1 optostimulation).
November 3, 2025 at 4:58 PM
(2) We show that optostimulation of "arousal neurons" in females (i.e., aIPg cells) drives visual pursuit and preferentially depolarizes AOTU019. Previously, we had shown that the same is true in aroused males (i.e., P1 optostimulation).
To highlight just a few of the newest features:
(1) With the new male connectome, we were able to perform comparative analyses of AOTU cells in males and females. We showed that, in both sexes, AOTU019 and AOTU025 are the key links between visual input (LC10a) and pre-motor outputs (DNs).
(1) With the new male connectome, we were able to perform comparative analyses of AOTU cells in males and females. We showed that, in both sexes, AOTU019 and AOTU025 are the key links between visual input (LC10a) and pre-motor outputs (DNs).
November 3, 2025 at 4:58 PM
To highlight just a few of the newest features:
(1) With the new male connectome, we were able to perform comparative analyses of AOTU cells in males and females. We showed that, in both sexes, AOTU019 and AOTU025 are the key links between visual input (LC10a) and pre-motor outputs (DNs).
(1) With the new male connectome, we were able to perform comparative analyses of AOTU cells in males and females. We showed that, in both sexes, AOTU019 and AOTU025 are the key links between visual input (LC10a) and pre-motor outputs (DNs).
How it feels pushing a pre-print update (thread coming soon!)
October 23, 2025 at 6:04 PM
How it feels pushing a pre-print update (thread coming soon!)
Like c'mon this is both accurate and comedic gold.
August 4, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Like c'mon this is both accurate and comedic gold.
We need more papers that start with Steve Urkel quotes. Thank you @kylethieringer.com and @tuthill.bsky.social for this wonderful and fun review of our recent paper describing limb feedback in the visual system!
doi.org/10.1016/j.cu...
doi.org/10.1016/j.cu...
August 4, 2025 at 3:47 PM
We need more papers that start with Steve Urkel quotes. Thank you @kylethieringer.com and @tuthill.bsky.social for this wonderful and fun review of our recent paper describing limb feedback in the visual system!
doi.org/10.1016/j.cu...
doi.org/10.1016/j.cu...
I think the "embodiment" of this connectome is going to be such a hit: For instance take the interactive "body part" maps on Codex, where you can simply click on your favorite external or visceral part and it will show you all of the neurons associated it! codex.flywire.ai/app/body_par...
August 1, 2025 at 10:41 PM
I think the "embodiment" of this connectome is going to be such a hit: For instance take the interactive "body part" maps on Codex, where you can simply click on your favorite external or visceral part and it will show you all of the neurons associated it! codex.flywire.ai/app/body_par...
For instance, we can cluster ANs and DNs based on their pre- and postsynaptic connectivity, comparing against those with known functions as well as their influence onto effectors to assign a putative behaviors.
August 1, 2025 at 10:36 PM
For instance, we can cluster ANs and DNs based on their pre- and postsynaptic connectivity, comparing against those with known functions as well as their influence onto effectors to assign a putative behaviors.
Here, we report the first unified and embodied (connected to effectors) brain-and-cord connectome of an adult fly. To analyze this massive dataset, we develop an influence metric to predict the functional connection between any pair of cells, revealing underlying control architecture.
August 1, 2025 at 10:36 PM
Here, we report the first unified and embodied (connected to effectors) brain-and-cord connectome of an adult fly. To analyze this massive dataset, we develop an influence metric to predict the functional connection between any pair of cells, revealing underlying control architecture.
Finally, we show that suppressing AOTU019 reduces steering precision during pursuit but does not impair overall locomotion. Importantly, this small but significant deficit matches model predictions: without AOTU019, flies can still pursue but correct small midline errors more slowly.
April 28, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Finally, we show that suppressing AOTU019 reduces steering precision during pursuit but does not impair overall locomotion. Importantly, this small but significant deficit matches model predictions: without AOTU019, flies can still pursue but correct small midline errors more slowly.
Arousal (P1 neuron activation) increases activity in both AOTU025 and AOTU019, but more strongly in AOTU019. We argue that this shift should promote more accurate pursuit, as AOTU019 specializes in precise midline steering, higher direction selectivity, and increases during faster forward running.
April 28, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Arousal (P1 neuron activation) increases activity in both AOTU025 and AOTU019, but more strongly in AOTU019. We argue that this shift should promote more accurate pursuit, as AOTU019 specializes in precise midline steering, higher direction selectivity, and increases during faster forward running.
During pursuit, faster forward running is linked to stronger steering. Importantly, we show that AOTU019 responses also scale with forward speed, boosting steering gain. This suggests that forward velocity commands boost AOTU019 activity to sharpen pursuit when the male is moving faster.
April 28, 2025 at 3:19 PM
During pursuit, faster forward running is linked to stronger steering. Importantly, we show that AOTU019 responses also scale with forward speed, boosting steering gain. This suggests that forward velocity commands boost AOTU019 activity to sharpen pursuit when the male is moving faster.
Next, we show that AOTU019 cells show stronger direction selectivity: boosting steering when error is growing away from the midline. Modeling shows that direction selectivity in AOTU019 (but not AOTU025) improves pursuit precision, speeds recovery after disruptions, and prevents overshoot.
April 28, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Next, we show that AOTU019 cells show stronger direction selectivity: boosting steering when error is growing away from the midline. Modeling shows that direction selectivity in AOTU019 (but not AOTU025) improves pursuit precision, speeds recovery after disruptions, and prevents overshoot.
AOTU025 and AOTU019 have opposite wiring but both drive turning toward the object, and their summed activity can predict the male's turning. Thus, our results imply that AOTU025 steers objects coarsely toward the midline, while AOTU019 fine-tunes steering when the object is near midline.
April 28, 2025 at 3:19 PM
AOTU025 and AOTU019 have opposite wiring but both drive turning toward the object, and their summed activity can predict the male's turning. Thus, our results imply that AOTU025 steers objects coarsely toward the midline, while AOTU019 fine-tunes steering when the object is near midline.
The connectome shows that LC10a and steering DNs are linked via two major cell types: AOTU019 and AOTU025. We first show, via single-cell recordings in pursuing males, that AOTU025 detects objects far from the midline, while AOTU019 detects objects near the midline.
April 28, 2025 at 3:19 PM
The connectome shows that LC10a and steering DNs are linked via two major cell types: AOTU019 and AOTU025. We first show, via single-cell recordings in pursuing males, that AOTU025 detects objects far from the midline, while AOTU019 detects objects near the midline.
During courtship, an aroused male will pursue a female (the "visual object" of interest), steering to keep her image aligned with a setpoint at his visual midline. This pursuit relies on object detectors in the optic lobe (LC10a cells) and descending neurons (DNs) that drive steering commands.
April 28, 2025 at 3:19 PM
During courtship, an aroused male will pursue a female (the "visual object" of interest), steering to keep her image aligned with a setpoint at his visual midline. This pursuit relies on object detectors in the optic lobe (LC10a cells) and descending neurons (DNs) that drive steering commands.
Successfully defended my PhD! Feeling so lucky to have had the opportunity to share this work with colleagues, friends, and family.
December 11, 2024 at 3:26 PM
Successfully defended my PhD! Feeling so lucky to have had the opportunity to share this work with colleagues, friends, and family.
Excited to push this project over the finish line tomorrow. If all goes well, both the phd and the preprint should be around the corner!
December 9, 2024 at 1:46 AM
Excited to push this project over the finish line tomorrow. If all goes well, both the phd and the preprint should be around the corner!
T-4 days till I defend these cells 😎
December 5, 2024 at 10:06 PM
T-4 days till I defend these cells 😎
Welp, dissertation is off to my committee!
November 26, 2024 at 5:53 PM
Welp, dissertation is off to my committee!
T-minus 4 days till this PhD thesis is due 🙃
November 21, 2024 at 1:05 PM
T-minus 4 days till this PhD thesis is due 🙃