Brain research lab shifts focus from fruit flies to transparent fish
8 reported
The Janelia Research Campus of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, known for its work on fruit flies, is switching to a tiny transparent fish called Danionella to study an entire animal’s brain at work. Biologist Gerry Rubin, who helped create the center two decades ago and played a key role in mapping all 54 million connections in a fruit fly’s brain in 2024, said the new project is a risky bet. The fish has about three times as many neurons as a fruit fly and a transparent body, allowing scientists to see all neurons firing at once. The species was not discovered until 2021 and has begun challenging the dominance of zebrafish in brain labs. Researchers hope the effort could help explain how brains control behavior, including in humans, though the president of Howard Hughes Medical Institute said a real understanding of even one complex behavior may take 10 years.
What’s reported
The Janelia Research Campus is switching from fruit flies to Danionella, a transparent fish.
Gerry Rubin helped create the center two decades ago and led the 2024 mapping of all 54 million connections in a fruit fly’s brain.
Danionella has about three times as many neurons as a fruit fly.
The species was not discovered until 2021.
Scientists at UC San Diego already work with Danionella whose neurons glow when active, placing them in virtual reality environments.
Janelia’s executive director, Nelson Spruston, said humans and fish share many brain features because both are vertebrates.
The ultimate goal is to study freely swimming fish, requiring engineering challenges for cellular-resolution microscopy.
Erin O’Shea, president of Howard Hughes Medical Institute, said she would be ecstatic if in 10 years there is real understanding of just one complex behavior in the fish.
Key figures
Gerry Rubin, biologist, helped create Janelia Research Campus
Zari Zavala-Ruiz, biochemist at Janelia
Jim Cox, in charge of animals at Janelia
Matt Lovett-Barron, assistant professor at UC San Diego
Nelson Spruston, executive director of Janelia
Erin O’Shea, president of Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Sources: NPR
