This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. Why should the public care about fruit fly research? Dr. Daniel Cox addresses the current disconnect with the common voter and the scientific researcher. All while sharing his research passion for Drosophila melanogaster also known as the fruit fly.

Dr. Daniel N. Cox is a Systems Neuroscientist whose research interests revolve are developmental neurogenetics, neurogenomics, molecular neuroanatomy, stem cell biology, and the molecular bases of behavior. He is Associate Professor of Systems Biology in the School of Systems Biology and a Principal Investigator of the Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study at George Mason University.He received a B.S. in Biology with Honors from Wake Forest University and a Ph.D. in Cell Biology and Genetics from Duke University. Following his Ph.D., Dr. Cox completed a postdoctoral fellowship in developmental neuroscience at the University of California, San Francisco where he was a Jane Coffin Childs Fellow for Medical Research and Research Associate of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

Dr. Cox’s research focuses on elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying the specification and modulation of neural connectivity with a particular emphasis on the control of dendrite development and the functional relationships between dendrite morphogenesis and sensory behaviors, including pain perception. His research program is funded by the National Institutes of Health including grants from NIMH and NINDS, as well as a number of private agencies. Recent doctoral graduates from his laboratory have secured highly competitive postdoctoral positions at the NIH, Harvard, and MIT.

About TEDx, x = independently organized event In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)