Sophie Caron
@thecaronlab.bsky.social
Je me souviens, Drosophila edition
🧪,🧠,🪰,🔥🧘🏻♀️&💗
Associate Professor
School of Biological Sciences
University of Utah
www.thecaronlab.com
🧪,🧠,🪰,🔥🧘🏻♀️&💗
Associate Professor
School of Biological Sciences
University of Utah
www.thecaronlab.com
14/ And for all the Utahns: Alex will defend his PhD next week. 🎉
Join us!!
Come for the neuro-democracy,
stay for the olfactory homunculus,
and never underestimate the power of an outlier. 💗
Join us!!
Come for the neuro-democracy,
stay for the olfactory homunculus,
and never underestimate the power of an outlier. 💗
October 30, 2025 at 5:47 PM
14/ And for all the Utahns: Alex will defend his PhD next week. 🎉
Join us!!
Come for the neuro-democracy,
stay for the olfactory homunculus,
and never underestimate the power of an outlier. 💗
Join us!!
Come for the neuro-democracy,
stay for the olfactory homunculus,
and never underestimate the power of an outlier. 💗
13/ This work was led by the one and only Alexander MacKenzie with the brilliant and formidable @synapshotneuro.bsky.social and @jilianulibarri.bsky.social as well as many other teammates.
October 30, 2025 at 5:47 PM
13/ This work was led by the one and only Alexander MacKenzie with the brilliant and formidable @synapshotneuro.bsky.social and @jilianulibarri.bsky.social as well as many other teammates.
11/ We cannot say for sure, but VL1 projection neurons likely gate plasticity through inhibition, shouting at Kenyon cells, yet keeping learning locked.
(Maybe for the best: the VL1 projection neurons detect pyrrolidine, a real stinker. Better steer clear than to learn it as good! 😷)
(Maybe for the best: the VL1 projection neurons detect pyrrolidine, a real stinker. Better steer clear than to learn it as good! 😷)
October 30, 2025 at 5:47 PM
11/ We cannot say for sure, but VL1 projection neurons likely gate plasticity through inhibition, shouting at Kenyon cells, yet keeping learning locked.
(Maybe for the best: the VL1 projection neurons detect pyrrolidine, a real stinker. Better steer clear than to learn it as good! 😷)
(Maybe for the best: the VL1 projection neurons detect pyrrolidine, a real stinker. Better steer clear than to learn it as good! 😷)
10/ We biologists love a clean, simple rule, right?
But then came the VL1 projection neurons...
VL1 projection neurons break the rule — despite weak connectivity, they drive large Kenyon cell responses yet fail to support learning.
Why, oh, WHY? 😫
#uglydatawreckingourbeautifultheoriesagain
But then came the VL1 projection neurons...
VL1 projection neurons break the rule — despite weak connectivity, they drive large Kenyon cell responses yet fail to support learning.
Why, oh, WHY? 😫
#uglydatawreckingourbeautifultheoriesagain
October 30, 2025 at 5:47 PM
10/ We biologists love a clean, simple rule, right?
But then came the VL1 projection neurons...
VL1 projection neurons break the rule — despite weak connectivity, they drive large Kenyon cell responses yet fail to support learning.
Why, oh, WHY? 😫
#uglydatawreckingourbeautifultheoriesagain
But then came the VL1 projection neurons...
VL1 projection neurons break the rule — despite weak connectivity, they drive large Kenyon cell responses yet fail to support learning.
Why, oh, WHY? 😫
#uglydatawreckingourbeautifultheoriesagain
9/ This connectivity–function relationship sets the stage for learning: odors that activate many Kenyon cells are easy to learn.
Those that barely activate a few?
Basically unlearnable. 🤡
Those that barely activate a few?
Basically unlearnable. 🤡
October 30, 2025 at 5:47 PM
9/ This connectivity–function relationship sets the stage for learning: odors that activate many Kenyon cells are easy to learn.
Those that barely activate a few?
Basically unlearnable. 🤡
Those that barely activate a few?
Basically unlearnable. 🤡
8/ Likewise, odors that activate highly connected projection neurons, like fruit odors, drive broad Kenyon cell responses.
Odors that activate poorly connected projection neurons, like those made by toxic microbes, not so much.
🍇🍎 Fruit odors get the hand.
🦠👾 Toxic microbe odors get the foot.
Odors that activate poorly connected projection neurons, like those made by toxic microbes, not so much.
🍇🍎 Fruit odors get the hand.
🦠👾 Toxic microbe odors get the foot.
October 30, 2025 at 5:47 PM
8/ Likewise, odors that activate highly connected projection neurons, like fruit odors, drive broad Kenyon cell responses.
Odors that activate poorly connected projection neurons, like those made by toxic microbes, not so much.
🍇🍎 Fruit odors get the hand.
🦠👾 Toxic microbe odors get the foot.
Odors that activate poorly connected projection neurons, like those made by toxic microbes, not so much.
🍇🍎 Fruit odors get the hand.
🦠👾 Toxic microbe odors get the foot.
7/ Structure matters.
Highly connected projection neurons broadcast their signal loud and clear, reaching and activating many Kenyon cells.
Weakly connected ones fade into the noise.
What the brain builds, the brain listens to.
Highly connected projection neurons broadcast their signal loud and clear, reaching and activating many Kenyon cells.
Weakly connected ones fade into the noise.
What the brain builds, the brain listens to.
October 30, 2025 at 5:47 PM
7/ Structure matters.
Highly connected projection neurons broadcast their signal loud and clear, reaching and activating many Kenyon cells.
Weakly connected ones fade into the noise.
What the brain builds, the brain listens to.
Highly connected projection neurons broadcast their signal loud and clear, reaching and activating many Kenyon cells.
Weakly connected ones fade into the noise.
What the brain builds, the brain listens to.
6/ The wiring is mostly random — as predicted by theory — but some projection neurons connect far more often than chance.
As if the dice were loaded. 🎲🎲🎲
As if the dice were loaded. 🎲🎲🎲
October 30, 2025 at 5:47 PM
6/ The wiring is mostly random — as predicted by theory — but some projection neurons connect far more often than chance.
As if the dice were loaded. 🎲🎲🎲
As if the dice were loaded. 🎲🎲🎲
5/ When looking at the connections between projection neurons and Kenyon cells we found clear biases.
Some projection neurons connect up to fifteen times more often than others.
Some occupied expansive stretches of connectivity estate, while others were left with just a narrow strip.
Some projection neurons connect up to fifteen times more often than others.
Some occupied expansive stretches of connectivity estate, while others were left with just a narrow strip.
October 30, 2025 at 5:47 PM
5/ When looking at the connections between projection neurons and Kenyon cells we found clear biases.
Some projection neurons connect up to fifteen times more often than others.
Some occupied expansive stretches of connectivity estate, while others were left with just a narrow strip.
Some projection neurons connect up to fifteen times more often than others.
Some occupied expansive stretches of connectivity estate, while others were left with just a narrow strip.
4/ The mushroom body is built like an expansion layer: a small number of projection neurons feed into thousands of Kenyon cells.
Classic theories predict that wiring is random, giving every odor an equal shot at being learned. 💯
But ugly data got in the way of these beautiful theories... 🧌
Classic theories predict that wiring is random, giving every odor an equal shot at being learned. 💯
But ugly data got in the way of these beautiful theories... 🧌
October 30, 2025 at 5:47 PM
4/ The mushroom body is built like an expansion layer: a small number of projection neurons feed into thousands of Kenyon cells.
Classic theories predict that wiring is random, giving every odor an equal shot at being learned. 💯
But ugly data got in the way of these beautiful theories... 🧌
Classic theories predict that wiring is random, giving every odor an equal shot at being learned. 💯
But ugly data got in the way of these beautiful theories... 🧌
3/ Why?
Learning centers like the mushroom body face an existential dilemma: they need enough coding capacity to represent as many stimuli as possible while still prioritizing cues that matter most for survival.
How does the mushroom body balance this tension between capacity and selectivity?
Learning centers like the mushroom body face an existential dilemma: they need enough coding capacity to represent as many stimuli as possible while still prioritizing cues that matter most for survival.
How does the mushroom body balance this tension between capacity and selectivity?
October 30, 2025 at 5:47 PM
3/ Why?
Learning centers like the mushroom body face an existential dilemma: they need enough coding capacity to represent as many stimuli as possible while still prioritizing cues that matter most for survival.
How does the mushroom body balance this tension between capacity and selectivity?
Learning centers like the mushroom body face an existential dilemma: they need enough coding capacity to represent as many stimuli as possible while still prioritizing cues that matter most for survival.
How does the mushroom body balance this tension between capacity and selectivity?
1/ Hello Drosophila-philists and braino-maniacs! 👋🪰🧠🧪
The Caron lab has a new preprint, and it is about 🥁🥁🥁 democracy!
Neuro-democracy, to be precise. So: drop EVERYTHING and listen up — a 🧶!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
The Caron lab has a new preprint, and it is about 🥁🥁🥁 democracy!
Neuro-democracy, to be precise. So: drop EVERYTHING and listen up — a 🧶!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
October 30, 2025 at 5:47 PM
1/ Hello Drosophila-philists and braino-maniacs! 👋🪰🧠🧪
The Caron lab has a new preprint, and it is about 🥁🥁🥁 democracy!
Neuro-democracy, to be precise. So: drop EVERYTHING and listen up — a 🧶!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
The Caron lab has a new preprint, and it is about 🥁🥁🥁 democracy!
Neuro-democracy, to be precise. So: drop EVERYTHING and listen up — a 🧶!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Evidence trumps ignorance — join us as we March for Science! 🧪🥼🔬👣
March 7, 2025 at 6:14 PM
Evidence trumps ignorance — join us as we March for Science! 🧪🥼🔬👣
🧪 Stand Up for Science. Science is for everyone. 🫶
Join us as we #marchforscience — for truth, discovery, and a future where research is valued and people matter. Science uplifts everyone, empowers communities, and drives real change. Stand up, Utah!
📍 Utah State Capitol
📅 March 7th 2025 at noon
Join us as we #marchforscience — for truth, discovery, and a future where research is valued and people matter. Science uplifts everyone, empowers communities, and drives real change. Stand up, Utah!
📍 Utah State Capitol
📅 March 7th 2025 at noon
March 1, 2025 at 12:36 AM
🧪 Stand Up for Science. Science is for everyone. 🫶
Join us as we #marchforscience — for truth, discovery, and a future where research is valued and people matter. Science uplifts everyone, empowers communities, and drives real change. Stand up, Utah!
📍 Utah State Capitol
📅 March 7th 2025 at noon
Join us as we #marchforscience — for truth, discovery, and a future where research is valued and people matter. Science uplifts everyone, empowers communities, and drives real change. Stand up, Utah!
📍 Utah State Capitol
📅 March 7th 2025 at noon
Step 3 — Use this script, if you want to.
January 30, 2025 at 12:39 AM
Step 3 — Use this script, if you want to.
University of Utah on January 24th
January 28, 2025 at 5:59 PM
University of Utah on January 24th
I had a blast💥visiting @unil.bsky.social! I loved sharing our work on species interactions and evolution of learning, and having lively discussions with everyone. Thank you @bentonlab.bsky.social and @nvastenhouw.bsky.social for the warm welcome — voir des amis qui cartonnent is always ❤️warming!😘
December 18, 2024 at 1:18 PM
I had a blast💥visiting @unil.bsky.social! I loved sharing our work on species interactions and evolution of learning, and having lively discussions with everyone. Thank you @bentonlab.bsky.social and @nvastenhouw.bsky.social for the warm welcome — voir des amis qui cartonnent is always ❤️warming!😘
Thank you @senguptalab.bsky.social for an awe-inspiring talk on how a single thermosensory neuron encodes experience through intricate molecular signaling — a much-needed reminder, today, that curiosity-driven science can unlock the secrets of the natural world and the 🧩🧩🧩 that is the 🧠. #Onward 🧪🪱
November 15, 2024 at 4:10 AM
Thank you @senguptalab.bsky.social for an awe-inspiring talk on how a single thermosensory neuron encodes experience through intricate molecular signaling — a much-needed reminder, today, that curiosity-driven science can unlock the secrets of the natural world and the 🧩🧩🧩 that is the 🧠. #Onward 🧪🪱
13/ Lastly: thanks for tagging along! 👾 This is the #CaronLab at the @universityofutah.bsky.social. We are a fun passionate team from diverse backgrounds and nationalities, united by our love for science. Stay tuned for more discoveries — there is always more to explore! #ScienceCommunity
November 10, 2024 at 2:16 AM
13/ Lastly: thanks for tagging along! 👾 This is the #CaronLab at the @universityofutah.bsky.social. We are a fun passionate team from diverse backgrounds and nationalities, united by our love for science. Stay tuned for more discoveries — there is always more to explore! #ScienceCommunity
10/ This study was led by post-doc extraordinaire @barefeetsven.bsky.social as a collaboration with the one and only @jasonsynaptic.bsky.social and with the help of many talented technicians and students including the brave Miles Jacob (not on 🦋). #TeamFlyGenius #InItToArcIt
November 10, 2024 at 2:16 AM
10/ This study was led by post-doc extraordinaire @barefeetsven.bsky.social as a collaboration with the one and only @jasonsynaptic.bsky.social and with the help of many talented technicians and students including the brave Miles Jacob (not on 🦋). #TeamFlyGenius #InItToArcIt