Andrea Y. Jia

Andrea Y. Jia

Scholar Title

MIT EECS | Mason Undergraduate Research and Innovation Scholar

Research Title

Characterizing Neural Dynamics of Internal State Switching and Swimming Behavior in Clytia Hemisphaerica

Cohort

2024–2025

Department

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

Research Areas
  • Brain and Cognitive Science
Supervisor

Brandon Weissbourd

Abstract

Many species exhibit internal state switching, where shifts in neural activity patterns produce distinct behavioral states. The mechanisms of state-switching and their extent of evolutionary conservation are unknown; thus, studies across diverse species provide valuable points of comparison. With established transgenesis and optical advantages, the jellyfish Clytia hemisphaerica offers a highly tractable state-switching model consisting of active swimming and quiescence states. I will record neural activity in restrained Clytia via transgenic GCaMP6s expression, then use computational methods to identify and model neural populations correlated in time with behavior state transitions. Studying state-switching in Clytia may yield meaningful insights on how neural activity governs behavior.

Quote

Having UROP-ed since freshman year, I think SuperUROP is a great way to gain a more immersive research experience. My project combines computation with neuroscience in a jellyfish model, which is really exciting to me as a sort of start to pursuing my own research interests. Through SuperUROP and beyond, I hope to explore the fundamental principles behind how simple and complex nervous systems might arise from well-made connections.

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