WELCOME TO THE JESUTHASAN LAB

Overview of Our Research

We investigate the biology of emotions, in particular fear and anxiety. We look at what triggers these states, and how the intensity of the response is controlled.   

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All experiments are done using zebrafish, which allows a powerful combination of high resolution brain imaging, behaviour analysis, as well as optical and molecular manipulation. Zebrafish are also a good system for drug discovery.

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Much of what we find is relevant to mental health in humans. Examples include our work on the effect of blue light on mood, and on brain regions critical in depression.

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More recently, we have found that bacteria produce substances that can elicit fear. We are currently furthering our work on how bacteria influence emotional states. 

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