Geoffrey Goodhill - Director of the Center for Theoretical & Computational Neuroscience, Washington University in St. Louis, USA
"Zebrafish behavior: eat, sleep, optimize"
Abstract: I will present two recent projects that use computational modeling to uncover fundamental principles of zebrafish behavior. First, combining high-resolution behavioral imaging, computational fluid dynamics, and reinforcement learning, I will show that larval zebrafish adopt movement strategies that minimize the energetic cost of prey capture. Second, applying Hidden Markov Models to 48-hour recordings of freely moving larvae, I will demonstrate that zebrafish sleep comprises distinct deep- and light-sleep substates, indicating that structured, multi-state sleep is a conserved vertebrate feature. Together, these studies highlight how computational approaches can reveal hidden structure in behavior across timescales, from the split-second decisions of hunting to the slow transitions of sleep.