# Drosophila: Metabolic Modulation of Olfactory Circuit Function/Feeding Behavior

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · 2020 · $387,500

## Abstract

Metabolic state has a profound impact on cognitive function and our perception of the external
world. However, the mechanisms underlying behavioral changes during the transition from mild
to severe starvation are poorly understood. Here, we propose to take advantage of the
anatomical simplicity and genetic tractability of Drosophila to study how shifts in metabolic state
shape olfactory circuit function and thus impact appetitive olfactory behavior. There are
remarkable similarities between Drosophila and mammals in the organization and molecular
regulation of olfactory systems, suggesting shared principles in the neurobiology of hunger.
Elucidating how changes in olfactory neural circuits impact the perception of food quality and
dietary selections may lead to a better understanding of factors that contribute to obesity as well
as anorexia in the infirm and elderly.
The experiments outlined here investigate the hypotheses that the decline of insulin, a global
satiety signal, triggers local neuropeptide signaling to recruit distinct neuronal populations at
different stages of starvation. The goals of these experiments are: 1) investigating the temporal
expression pattern of sNPF receptors in different neuronal populations; 2) investigating the role
of local sNPF (a homolog of NPY in Drosophila) signaling in modulating neuronal excitability in a
higher order olfactory center; 3) Investigate changes across the broader gamma lobe MBON
network.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9878842
- **Project number:** 5R01DK092640-09
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
- **Principal Investigator:** Jing W Wang
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $387,500
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2011-07-26 → 2022-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9878842

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9878842, Drosophila: Metabolic Modulation of Olfactory Circuit Function/Feeding Behavior (5R01DK092640-09). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9878842. Licensed CC0.

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