Animal behaviors are driven by the integration of interoceptive and exteroceptive inputs mediated by the Central Nervous System (CNS) neuronal circuits. While significant effort is currently placed in deciphering the connectomes of different organisms, the contribution of the tissue’s structural organization to its integrative capacity has been comparatively understudied. In this context, glial networks and the extracellular matrix (ECM) together form a dynamic, interdependent structural unit that landscapes the CNS.

As a Ramón y Cajal Investigator at the CBM I study how the dynamic developmental interplay between glia and ECM contributes to CNS morphogenesis and function. To address this issue, I employ the Drosophila embryonic CNS as a model system, focusing on the condensation of the Ventral Nerve Cord (VNC). Midway through embryogenesis, and simultaneously to neural circuits assembly into an array of interconnected neural modules, the VNC undergoes a dramatic condensation associated with the onset of motor coordination and embryo hatching. VNC condensation represents a novel model for investigating the relationship between structure and function, as it is highly sensitive to architectural changes and linked to a clear behavioral output: the embryo’s ability to perform peristalsis and successfully hatch.

Employing FIB-SEM-based 3D tissue segmentation, high-resolution confocal microscopy, and advanced image processing techniques, I pursue two main objectives:

1. Examine how glia networks assemble and dynamically interact with the ECM during CNS development.

2. Evaluate how glia – ECM material properties influence the mechanical equilibrium of the tissue and impact neural circuits’ function.