Seminars
Wednesday 16th December 2009
Derek Willoughby LT, Sir John Vane Centre
Programme:
- 5-5.20pm: "Biological & Experimental Psychology at QM" By Prof Lars Chittka
- 5.20-5.30pm: Discussion
- 5.30-5.50pm: "Delivering genes and controlling their expression" By Dr David Gould
- 5.50-6pm Discussion
- 6-7pm Refreshments
Speakers:
Prof Lars Chittka, Professor in Sensory & Behavioural Ecology, Biological and Chemical Sciences
My research has established links between sensory physiology and learning psychology on the one hand, and evolutionary ecology on the other. Why do animals have the sensory systems they do? How do they use them in their natural foraging environment? How do cognitive-behavioural processes function in the economy of nature? Pollinator-plant interactions have been used as a model system to study these questions. I have been particularly interested in mutual evolutionary and ecological influences of insect colour vision and flower colour signals, and insect learning and flower advertising. In addition, I have studied bee navigation using large artificial landmarks, orientation of bees in complete darkness, as well as the question of how bees use spatial memory to navigate among several rewarded sites. Recently, I have also become interested in the evolution of cognitive capacities and communication, and the pollination biology of invasive plant species. Bees have served as model organisms in most of these studies, because their colonies can be easily kept, their experience can be readily controlled, they have a rich behavioural repertoire and amazing learning capacities. My work has made use of field studies, as well as experimental studies with computer-controlled behavioural tests, computer simulations, and phylogenetic analyses.
Email: l.chittka@qmul.ac.uk
Dr David Gould, Honorary Lecturer, William Harvey Research Institute
Graduated in pharmacology and obtained a PhD in immunopharmacology from the University of Southampton. His research interests have focused on lung and joint inflammation and the cellular recruitment in asthma and arthritis. Current interests include the development of gene therapy for the treatment of arthritis and other inflammatory conditions. This research aims to combine gene therapy vectors with regulated promoter systems (responsive to pharmacological or physiological induction) to achieve long-term safe therapeutic effect in these non-fatal diseases
Email: d.j.gould@qmul.ac.uk
