Rodrigo J. De Marco

Dr. Rodrigo J. De Marco is a researcher affiliated with the Faculty of Science at Liverpool John Moores University (GB), joining in February 2020. His career includes roles as Project Leader at the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research (DE) and Senior Scientist at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (DE). His work focuses on neuroscience, behavior, and stress biology across vertebrate and insect models.

• Licentiate and PhD in Biology from the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
• Postdoctoral research on cognition and neurophysiology at Freie Universität Berlin, Germany.

De Marco’s research explores glucocorticoid reactivity in zebrafish larvae, examining how developmental experiences shape stress responses. He also investigates honeybee cognition, including reward learning, memory formation, and the tactile hypothesis in waggle dance communication. His work employs optogenetics and behavioral analysis to dissect neural mechanisms underlying stress and adaptation.

Publications reveal a trajectory from insect behavioral studies (2001–2010) to zebrafish and mouse models (2013–2025). Key themes include corticotroph activity, CRH neuron dynamics, path integration, and environmental stress protocols.