Andrés Vidal-Gadea

I am interested in how adaptive behavior emerges from the successful interaction between multiple organismal components in an ever-changing environment. To this end, I am studying how the nervous system of the nematode worm, C. elegans uses sensory information to correctly switch between different locomotor modalities when exposed to changing conditions. This will provide us with unique insight into motor maladies afflicting humans such as Parkinson’s disease.

Vidal-Gadea AG, Pierce-Shimomura JT. (2012) Conserved role of dopamine in the modulation of behavior. Comm Int Biol. 5(5):440-447. Landes

Vidal-Gadea AG, Davis S, Becker L, Pierce-Shimomura JT. (2012) Coordination of behavioral hierarchies during environmental transitions in Caenorhabditis elegans. Worm. 1(1):5-11. Landes

Vidal-Gadea AG, Topper S, Young L, Crisp A, Kressin L, Elbel E, Maples T, Brauner M, Erbguth K, Axelrod A, Gottschalk A, Siegel D, Pierce-Shimomura JT. (2011) Caenorhabditis elegans selects distinct crawling and swimming gaits via dopamine and serotonin. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 108(42):17504-9. PubMed

Vidal-Gadea AG, Jing X, Simpson D, Dewhirst OP, Kondoh Y, Allen R, Newland PL. (2010) Coding characteristics of spiking local interneurons during imposed limb movements in the locust. J Neurophysiology. 103: 603-615. PubMed

Vidal-Gadea AG, Belanger JH. (2009) Muscular anatomy of the legs of the forward walking crab, Libinia emarginata (Decapoda, Brachyura, Majoidea). Arthropod Struct Dev. 38(3): 179-194. PubMed

Vidal-Gadea AG, Rinehart MD, Belanger JH. (2008) Skeletal adaptations for sideways and forwards walking by three decapod species. Arthropod Struct. Dev. 37(2): 95-108. PubMed

Curriculum Vitae