Welcome to the Ramdya Lab, Firmenich Next Generation Chair of Neuroengineering
We are reverse-engineering the fly, Drosophila melanogaster, to understand how biological systems leverage social information, learn about the world, and generate flexible motor behaviors. We aim to translate this understanding toward designing more intelligent robots.
Flies are ideal for this goal: they generate complex behaviors yet have a small nervous system and are genetically malleable. To enable our research we use microscopy, machine learning, genetics, and computational models. At EPFL, we are part of the Brain Mind Institute and Institute of Bioengineering in the School of Life Sciences. Enjoy your visit!
Some tools we recently developed
Recording neural activity during behavior
We combine genetics, 2-photon microscopy, and machine learning-based image analysis to establish links between neural activity and behavior. Relevant publications: Hermans, Kaynak et al., Nature Communications 2022, Chen, Hermans et al., Nature Communications 2018
Building computational models of Drosophila
We have developed computational simulations to capture the core neuromechanical mechanisms that orchestrate behavior. These models synthesize our biological data, generate predictions for future experiments, and inspire the development of bioinspired robotic controllers. Relevant publications: Lobato et al., Nature Methods, 2022, Ramdya, Thandiackal et al., Nature Communications, 2017
Drawing links between neuronal activity and behavior
We use deep-learning based pose estimation and optogenetic neuronal activation and silencing to quantify the links between neural activity and behavior. Relevant publications: Gosztolai, Günel et al. Nature Methods 2021, Günel et al. Elife 2019
Robotic experimental automation
We build robotic systems and computational data analysis pipelines to automate high-throughput biological experiments. This allows us to rapidly screen behavioral phenotypes. Relevant publications: Ramdya et al., Nature 2015, Maesani, Ramdya et al., PLoS Computational Biology 2015
Latest News
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22-11-08: Our study revealing ascending neuron behavioral encoding was accepted to Nature Neuroscience |
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22-11-06: Jasper was awarded a Helen Hay Whitney Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship |
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22-10-13: Our work describing descending neuron population activity during behavior was accepted to Elife |
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22-07-14: Femke was awarded a Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds PhD Fellowship |
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22-06-24: Our work describing microengineered devices for long-term neural recordings was accepted to Nature Communications |
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22-03-23: Sibo was awarded a Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds PhD Fellowship |
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22-03-03: Our review on network theoretical analysis of connectomes and animal collectives was accepted to Current Opinion in Neurobiology |
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21-12-23: Our work describing a neuromechanical model of Drosophila, NeuroMechFly, was accepted to Nature Methods |
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21-06-08: Matthias was awarded a Fondation Fyssen Postdoctoral Fellowship |
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21-05-14: Our work describing LiftPose3D pose estimation software was accepted to Nature Methods |
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21-05-05: Gizem was awarded a Swiss Government Excellence PhD Fellowship |
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20-11-18: Jonas was awarded a Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds PhD Fellowship |