معرفی
Gregory Jefferis is a Professor and Research Leader at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (MRC LMB), University of Cambridge, where he heads a group investigating olfactory processing in Drosophila. His work bridges neural circuitry, behaviour, and computational neuroanatomy within the Cambridge neuroscience ecosystem.
Jefferis' research focuses on how odour information transforms into behaviour through higher olfactory centres, particularly examining third-order neurons in the lateral horn that integrate specific olfactory channels. His lab employs cutting-edge techniques including genetic labelling, in vivo whole-cell patch clamp recording, and high-resolution computational neuroanatomy to decode innate and learned behavioural responses to general odours and sex pheromones.
Recent work demonstrates strong trends in connectome mapping and computational analysis, with 2024 publications in Nature and Cell detailing the complete adult fly brain connectome and neurotransmitter classification via machine learning. His group actively contributes to open-source neuroanatomy tools like the natverse while exploring fundamental questions about sensory processing and memory retrieval in olfactory circuits.
Jefferis leads a collaborative team including Isabella Beckett, Sebastian Cachero, Shahar Frechter, Florian Kampf, Myrto Mitletton, Markus Pleijzier, Gerald Rubin, Philipp Schlegel, Valeria Silva-Moeller, Tomke Stuerner, and Catherine Whittle, with extensive international partnerships evident in recent multi-institutional publications.
