Genetic and neural mechanisms of memory

To identify the genetic and neural mechanisms of memory in poison frogs, we’re using a combination of genome sequencing and RNA sequencing of the amphibian hippocampus (medial pallium). We have identified patterns of hippocampal gene expression that may contribute to the differences in learning capacity between D. auratus and other frogs. 

Our long-term goal for this research is to identify the genes that enabled the evolution of spatial memory in poison frogs.