David Anderson

Scientists at Janelia work together in multidisciplinary teams to solve challenging biological problems that are difficult to address in other research settings.

Many lab spaces at Janelia feature modular designs and natural light.

Credit: Brad Feinknopf

Occupying 689 wooded acres along the Potomac River, Janelia Farm provides a variety of services and facilities to support its diverse community of scientists and staff—inside and outside the lab.

A view of the Janelia Farm Research Campus at dusk.

Credit: Brad Feinknopf

The Janelia Farm model frees scientists of constraints commonly found in other research environments, providing access to world-class resources and a talented support staff.

Graduate scholar John Tuthill prepares a Drosophila specimen for imaging.

Credit: James Kegley

In addition to our resident scientists and fellows, we offer visiting scientists, graduate, and undergraduate candidates a range of scientific programs.

Graduate scholar Arbora Resulaj (left) and her mentor, Janelia Fellow Dmitry Rinberg (right).

Credit: James Kegley

Janelia Farm regularly hosts scientific meetings, ranging from workshops to intensive, specialized conferences. See what's coming up and visit the archive of past events.

Janelia's large auditorium seats 250 people.

Credit: Matt Staley

Janelia provides outstanding employment opportunities, at all levels.

Credit: James Kegley

Many tools developed in Janelia Farm labs are made freely available to outside researchers, while others are taking shape through collaborations with industry, academia, and government.

A virtual arena for the study of flight in insects.

Credit: James Kegley

Janelia’s sense of community comes from a core belief that people of diverse disciplines and backgrounds can accomplish great things when working with a common purpose.

Research specialist Trevor Wardill (left) and group leader Vivek Jayaraman (right).

Credit: James Kegley

Rubin Lab

Visiting Scientist, Anderson Project

Contact Me

David J. Anderson, Ph.D., is Seymour Benzer Professor of Biology at the California Institute of Technology and an Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Dr. Anderson received an A.B. degree at Harvard and a Ph.D. Degree at Rockefeller University where he trained with Nobelist Günter Blobel. Dr. Anderson performed postdoctoral studies at Columbia University with Nobelist Richard Axel.

Awards:
Helen Hay Whitney Foundation Fellow, 1983-86
NSF Presidential Young Investigator Award 1986-87
Searle Scholars Award, 1987-88
Alfred P. Sloan research Fellowship in Neuroscience, Javits Investigator in Neuroscience (NIH), 1989-96
Charles Judson Herrick Award in Comparative Neurology, 1990
Ferguson Award for Graduate Teaching, 1994
Ferguson Award for Biology Education, 1996
Ferguson Award for Graduate Teaching, 1998
Alden Spencer Award in Neurobiology, Columbia University, 1999
Elected Associate, The Neurosciences Institute, 2001
American Academy of Arts and Sciences Fellow, 2002
American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellow, 2002
Named Roger W. Sperry Professor of Biology, Caltech, 2004
Alexander von Humboldt Award, 2005
Elected to the National Academies of Sciences, 2007
Named Seymour Benzer Professor of Biology, Caltech, 2009
Named Allen Institute Distinguished Investigator, 2010.

Research interests in my laboratory focuses on understanding how emotional behavior is encoded in the brain, at the level of specific neuronal circuits, and the specific neuronal subtypes that comprise them. We want to understand the structure and dynamic properties of these circuits and how they give rise to the outward behavioral expressions of emotions such as fear, anxiety or anger. This information will provide a framework for understanding how and where in the brain emotions are influenced by genetic variation and environmental influence (“nature” and “nurture”), and the mechanism of action of drugs used to treat psychiatric disorders such as depression. We are using both mice and the vinegar fly Drosophila melanogaster as model systems. A central focus of the laboratory is on the neural circuits underlying aggression and fear. We are using molecular genetic tools, as well as functional imaging and electrophysiology, to establish cause-and-effect relationships between the activity of specific neuronal circuits and behavior. We hope that this research will lead to new insights into the organization of emotion circuits, and their dysregulation in psychiatric disorders.

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