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Explore the development of the three-banded panther worm Hofstenia miamia as a groundbreaking model system for neuroscience research in this 25-minute webinar presented by Dr. Mansi Srivastava from Harvard University. Discover how this rare, lab-tractable acoel worm represents a unique evolutionary position between simple cnidarian nerve nets and complex centralized brains, making it an ideal organism for studying distributed neural computation and brain evolution. Learn about Hofstenia's remarkable capabilities including complex mating, foraging, and egg-laying behaviors, as well as its extraordinary ability to regenerate any tissue from virtually any initial configuration. Examine the research approaches being used to investigate brain-behavior-environment interactions in this marine invertebrate, with particular focus on how its diffuse brain structure enables sophisticated behavioral responses. Understand the significance of studying this early-branching lineage for uncovering fundamental principles of neural organization, brain regeneration, and the evolutionary origins of centralized nervous systems. Gain insights into the experimental tools and genomic resources available for Hofstenia research, including transgenesis capabilities that enable detailed behavioral neuroscience studies. The presentation covers current methodologies for analyzing neural computation in distributed brain systems and discusses the broader implications for understanding how brains process environmental information to generate complex behaviors.
