We are dealing with the question: how does a brain work? The study of the brain is one of the greatest challenges in Biology. At the genetics department, we focus on the neurogenetics of Drosophila, to find out more about the genetic foundations of the Drosophila brain. In neurogenetics, the basic approach is the induction of mutants with a desired neural phenotype. Since the genes which are disrupted by the mutation often affect the brain at several levels of functional organizations, we are using a wide variety of biological disciplines ranging from molecular biology to behaviour analysis.

In studying the effects of the mutation on the various involved processes, we might some day be able to understand the links between genes, brain and behavior. 

Our ultimate goal is the understanding of brains. This is a very ambitious task. And every brain is somehow different. So why study the brain of a fruitfly?