Dr Amy Courtney

Interests

My research takes advantage of unique animals and their evolutionary innovations to understand fundamental principles of nervous systems.. During my PhD I worked with the ctenophore Pleurobrachia pileus and now during my Postdoc I am working with the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and the cephalopod Octopus vulgaris. My current research focuses of a synaptically localised receptor known as a cys-loop ligand-gated ion channel. These receptors are essential for fast neurotransmission and behavioural coordination in animals. I am striving to gain a broader understanding into the functional diversity of these receptors across the animal kingdom and explore the role they play in controlling behaviours. My work will lead to a deeper understanding into the evolution of nervous systems and basic principles of neural function.

Research Focus

Equipment

Behavioural analysis

Calcium imaging

Computerised tomography

Confocal microscopy

Electrophysiological recording techniques

Fluorescence microscopy

Immunohistochemistry

Microscopy