Griffin Badalamente

I’m interested in using connectomics to explore how neural circuits adapt to ecological challenges. Even the most phylogenetically similar species can exhibit vastly distinct behaviors, and the most diverse set of species can respond similarly to a stimulus. The huge variety of behaviors that complex animals demonstrate is mediated through the incredibly complex network of neurons that make up a nervous system. Through electron microscopy, we can view every neuron in an organism in nanometer resolution, permitting us to study the morphology and connections of each single cell in a brain. I have been fascinated by the black-and-white objectiveness that this level of detail gives us, as well as the beautiful variety of neurons that exist beyond our unaided eyesight.