Emad Amini

Research Interest

Eclosion behaviour in insects is one of the important rhythmic behaviours that can be studied as a standard to understand the concept of biological clocks. In Drosophila the moulting can be defined as a complicated series of developmental processes that happen from the final stages of the third larval stage until the emergence of the adult animal from the puparium. The final stages of the moulting are controlled by the circadian clock. But the exact neuronal circuits, endocrine signals, timing, and other underlying mechanisms of this behaviour are still unknown.

I am interested in revealing the neuronal and hormonal connections between the master clock neurons inside the brain and the prothoracic gland (PG) as one of the peripheral clocks which regulates eclosion behaviour. Using various genetic and physiological techniques I try to understand the involved elements and try to unravel the mysteries of these connections as much as possible.