Credit: Clemson University
New research from the Clemson University Center for Human Genetics has identified specific cell clusters in the brain of the common fruit fly affected by acute cocaine exposure, potentially laying the groundwork for the development of drugs to treat or prevent addiction in humans.
While cocaine s neurological effects are well known, the underlying genetic sensitivity to the drug s effects is not. In human populations, susceptibility to the effects of cocaine varies due to both environmental and genetic factors, making it challenging to study. Approximately 70 percent of genes in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, have human counterparts, providing researchers with a comparable model when studying complex genetic traits.
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IMAGE: Robert Anholt and Trudy Mackay in a lab holding a test tube containing Drosophila melanogaster, the common fruit fly. view more
Credit: Clemson University College of Science
Researchers Trudy Mackay and Robert Anholt of the Clemson University Center for Human Genetics have joined forces with an international consortium intended to drive research that will shape regulation and policy on chemical safety without the use of animal testing.
Mackay, an internationally renowned scientist and director of the Center for Human Genetics (CHG), will team with Anholt to explore the genetic underpinnings of susceptibility to environmental toxicants using Drosophila melanogaster, the common fruit fly.