Lab Members
Lab Head
Stefan Pulver
I am a neuroethologist interested in understanding the neural basis of movement in invertebrates. I studied Biology at Colby College as an undergraduate, then went on to complete a PhD in Neuroscience at Brandeis University. My lab works with a variety of arthropod species, including terrestrial and aquatic insects, as well as crustaceans.
PhD Students
William V. Smith
After completing my undergraduate neuroscience degree at St Andrews specialising in nociception and neurodegeneration, I completed my Masters in the Pulver Lab on octopaminergic modulation of larval locomotor networks. I was fortunate enough to secure a competitive EASTBIO PhD Scholarship to study motor competition in larval Drosophila central pattern generating networks. In my work, I use a combination of calcium imaging, optogenetics, mathematical modelling, electrophysiology, and voltage imaging.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/wvs/
Ranjini Sircar
I’m a first year PhD student in co-tutelle with Prof. Malte Gather’s lab at the University of Cologne. I study the neurobiomechanics of movement in Drosophila larvae and adults. I’m interested in understanding how activity in the brains of larvae and adults translate into biomechanical forces exerted on substrates. In order to do this, I will be combining optogenetic dissection of neural circuits with Elastic Resonator Interference Stress Microscopy, a novel method for optically measuring ground reaction forces with high spatiotemporal resolution
Masters Students
Kerri Bolivar
My name is Kerri Bolivar and I am a MRes Neuroscience Postgraduate student at the University of St Andrews. Before coming to St Andrews, I completed my bachelor’s degree in psychology at the College of The Holy Cross, in Worcester Massachusetts. The project I am currently working on in the Pulver lab focuses on the social behaviors of Drosophila larvae.
Katie Trim
I completed my BSc (Hons) in Neuroscience right here at the University of St Andrews and am now completing my MRes in Neuroscience. As part of my fourth-year research project, I studied the role of Drosophila melanogaster D2-like receptors in the control of larval locomotion. This year I am continuing to work in the Pulver lab, but have moved on to a different organism – the Red Flour beetle Tribolium castaneum. My project aims to investigate the visual system of this organism and determine how visually guided behaviours change over development.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-trim-6605a6257/
Gloriya Len
I’m Gloriya, a 4th year BSc and future MRes Neuroscience student in the Pulver lab. I am currently conducting behavioural research on adult Drosophila, investigating how octopamine signaling shapes anxiety-like behaviours. My main interests are behavioural neuroscience and neuropharmacology, and I mostly concentrate on addiction and stress-related disorders. My main goal is to promote animal welfare and replace research animals with invertebrates or lower vertebrates where possible.
Undergraduate Research Assistants
Sophie Longstaff
I’m Sophie, a Neuroscience BSc undergraduate student. I work with citizen scientists to study the neuroethology of freshwater invertebrates. I am adapting movement assays for use as biosensors of river health. This work is done in Collaboration with the Guardians of Our Rivers Citizen Science programme organized by BugLife Scotland and is funded by the St Andrews Research Internship Scheme.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-longstaff
Bella Xu Ying
I’m Bella, an undergraduate neuroscience researcher co-supervised by Dr. Stefan Pulver and Dr. Maarten Zwart here at St Andrews. My research investigatea how the red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum) larval CNS modulates coordination across different motor programs. Since Tribolium are heavily underrepresented in motor systems research, my work aims to provide the first insights into locomotion the neural control of movement in this species. This creates a foundation for future motor studies in a pest insect with high vertebrate functional homology and extensive genetic toolkits with direct impacts on global food security.
Lab Dog
Roxy
Roxy is interested in object tracking and predator-prey interactions. She studies how to track the position of balls, treats, and toys in natural environments. Roxy is also intrigued by high speed locomotion and escape behaviours in small mammals, particularly bunnies. Roxy is very supportive of research on freshwater invertebrates because it forces humans to go for walks and creates opportunities to jump into rivers. In addition to her research roles, Roxy contributes to the MRes neuroscience degree at St Andrews as a Dog Assistant (DA).