The Shaw laboratory uses the genetic model organism Drosophila melanogaster to elucidate the molecular mechanisms linking sleep to neuronal plasticity. The lab has demonstrated that we can fully restore cognitive functioning to a diverse set of classic memory mutants simply by enhancing their sleep. In these experiments, sleep was able to reverse cognitive deficits without restoring the causal molecular lesion or structural defect. In addition sleep reversed cognitive deficits in two separate models of Alzheimer’s disease.
Research keywords: Sleep; plasticity; circadian
Basic information
| Pronouns: | He/Him/His |
| Mentoring statement: | Find it here. |
| Some former postdocs’ career outcomes: | All 5 of the postdocs that collaborated with me have obtained independent tenure track faculty positions. |
Postdoc openings within the next year
| Number of postdoc positions: | 1 |
| Postdoc eligibility: | U.S. Citizens or Permanent Residents Current Visa-Holding Trainees in the U.S. International Trainees Outside the U.S. |