María Fernanda Ceriani, Ph.D.

Research

Many physiological and behavioral processes are regulated by endogenous rhythms with a period close to 24 hours, known as circadian rhythms. The fly Drosophila melanogaster has been used to identify the molecules responsible for generating and maintaining these oscillations, which are conserved in mammals. In the laboratory we are interested in elucidating how neuronal circuits in the brain of the fly coordinate the rhythmic activity of the organism and at the same time using this knowledge to provide us with better insight into how neurons functions and survive.