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Clara Howcroft Ferreira

@clarahowcroft

Assistant Professor of Neuroscience at Northumbria University, researching social behaviour in Drosophila. https://ferreira-lab.weebly.com/

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19.11.2024
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Latest posts by Clara Howcroft Ferreira @clarahowcroft

New registration New registration

The registration is open! Junior #Drosophila PIs, join us for inspiring scientific discussion, contribute a talk and listen to our keynote speaker, Eugenia Chiappe. We meet in Palmela, Portugal from June 1st to 3rd. Register soon as spots are limited!

congressos.mundiconvenius.pt/geral/inseri...

20.02.2026 15:04 πŸ‘ 18 πŸ” 14 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 3

Join us for a cool project looking at the neural basis of how social isolation affects female aggression!

26.01.2026 10:11 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Angry and Alone: How Social Experience Shapes Female Aggression in Flies at Newcastle University on FindAPhD.com PhD Project - Angry and Alone: How Social Experience Shapes Female Aggression in Flies at Newcastle University, listed on FindAPhD.com

We're advertising a PhD project on how social isolation influences aggression in flies. Based at Durham, co-supervised by @clarahowcroft.bsky.social . Despite what the ad says, this is also open to international applicants! Any questions, shoot me a msg! www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

26.01.2026 10:02 πŸ‘ 15 πŸ” 22 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1

Get ready to join us in Portugal this year, 1-3 June, in panoramic Palmela, just south of Lisbon! We have planned 3 days of science discussions and activities aimed at fostering our network of JEDIs in a supportive, fun, and sunny setting.

15.01.2026 10:50 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Genetic sex of enteric neurons enables ovarian relaxin to gate maternal gut plasticity Animals must align intestinal plasticity and feeding with reproductive state, yet the checkpoint that gates these adaptations is unknown. Here we show that an ovary-to-enteric-neuron axis gates the on...

πŸ“£First preprint of the labπŸ“£ Did that really happen?πŸ˜…

Enteric neurons, aka somatic postmitotic cells, must hold on to their sex identity tight, to deliver a tuned response to signals from the ovary that instruct the animal to engage sex-matched behavioural programmes.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

11.01.2026 15:32 πŸ‘ 96 πŸ” 26 πŸ’¬ 10 πŸ“Œ 3

I am very happy (and a bit scared) to present to you what we have been working on over the last 4 years. This manuscript is exactly what I dreamt of when I started the lab and I could not be happier and prouder of the outcome!

10.01.2026 09:42 πŸ‘ 154 πŸ” 63 πŸ’¬ 23 πŸ“Œ 2

Happy New Year from seasonally beautiful Newcastle-upon-Tyne! Get in touch if you are interested in our #PhDstudentship to research the neurobiological basis of social behaviour and its dysfunction in Drosophila melanogaster. Deadline for applications: 23rd January.

04.01.2026 20:01 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Thank you @deepanshund.bsky.social for the invitation and hosting me. I really enjoyed coming over to the #ManchesterFlyClub, meeting and discussing with your diverse and interesting community! Looking foward to seeing you all again soon at one of our northern Drosophila gatherings.

17.12.2025 15:16 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Very sad news. Witnessing and benefiting from Adam's passion and generosity as a student was truly inspirational, and his work continues to be the backbone of the research we do. Thank you.

09.12.2025 19:11 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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🧠 Applications for the International Neuroscience Doctoral Programme (INDP) @champalimaudf.bsky.social open until 31 January 2026.
β˜€οΈ Join our vibrant and international research community in sunny Lisbon!
πŸ”— fchampalimaud.org/champalimaud...

03.12.2025 18:32 πŸ‘ 14 πŸ” 12 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 3
Evolution of taste processing shifts dietary preference Nature - Calcium imaging of taste neurons and the ventral brain provides insight into evolutionary divergence of food choice in Drosophila species, supporting a role of sensorimotor processing in...

New work from the lab 🧠πŸͺ°πŸŽ‰
Using pan neuronal volumetric brain imaging in three Drosophila species, we show that niche adaptations arise from central sensory processing, not peripheral tuning.

Great collab led by @enriberti.bsky.social @tomtom-auer.bsky.social 🀝

Out now in @nature.com
rdcu.be/eRWuD

27.11.2025 09:50 πŸ‘ 14 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

If you are interested in applying email clara.ferreira@northumbria.ac.uk with your CV and a short statement explaining your interest in this project.

22.11.2025 09:56 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

You will: 1) join a supportive, collaborative, interdisciplinary and international, Neuroscience community in cosmopolitan and scenic Newcastle-upon-Tyne; 2) develop transversal skills in data analysis and communication, and specific skills in neurogenetics, imaging and behavioural analysis.

22.11.2025 09:56 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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Neuronal circuit-level action of genes underlying social behaviour dysfunction in Drosophila melanogaster (Ref: RDF26/SE/GNS/FERREIRA) at Northumbria University on FindAPhD.com PhD Project - Neuronal circuit-level action of genes underlying social behaviour dysfunction in Drosophila melanogaster (Ref: RDF26/SE/GNS/FERREIRA) at Northumbria University, listed on FindAPhD.com

Interested in the neurobiological basis of social behaviour and its dysfunction? Join the Ferreira and @wolfhuette.bsky.social groups at Northumbria University for a fully funded PhD opportunity studying group behaviour in flies. Further details are available here: www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

22.11.2025 09:56 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 7 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 1
AI-generated image of a lightsaber-wielding figure conquering Portugal.

AI-generated image of a lightsaber-wielding figure conquering Portugal.

Preparations for the next JEDI meeting are underway! The upcoming Junior European #Drosophila Investigator / #NewPI meeting is planned for Portugal in June. Final dates and additional details will be announced soon - stay tuned for updates!​

28.10.2025 22:13 πŸ‘ 33 πŸ” 24 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 2
a group of Drosophila erecta fruit flies on a small food patch. flies on white background

a group of Drosophila erecta fruit flies on a small food patch. flies on white background

Excited to share our new #biorxivpreprint

We discovered that the fruit fly #drosophila erecta requires food odor to mate and arousal is further enhanced by social group motion.

Cross-species analysis of brain activity reveals a novel gate evolved from within a conserved circuit

shorturl.at/gGYm7

16.10.2025 06:33 πŸ‘ 83 πŸ” 44 πŸ’¬ 12 πŸ“Œ 3

Hello everyone!
We decided to automate our sign-up process for the JEDI network. Please register using this link:
docs.google.com/forms/d/1IdO...

Thanks to everyone who reached out! We are looking forward to building our community with you. Share and repost!!!
#Drosophila @fly-eds.bsky.social

30.09.2025 12:47 πŸ‘ 12 πŸ” 9 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Dear JEDIs,
as we are self-organizing using the #EDRC as a nucleator we decided it is time for a JEDI database to boost our network! If you identify as a JEDI, please contact us here or send a mail to katja.rust@uni-marburg.de to be added to our database.
#Drosophila
@fly-eds.bsky.social

26.09.2025 15:43 πŸ‘ 33 πŸ” 28 πŸ’¬ 4 πŸ“Œ 1

Learning from and doing experiments with Ed was one of the main reasons I became fascinated with flies during the curricular year of my PhD. Sad news, but what an amazing life to be remembered - a fantastic scientist and a wonderful person.

24.09.2025 16:47 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Portail Emploi CNRS - Offre d'emploi - Postdoc position (M/F) in Neuroscience, stress modulation of learning (H/F)

You just finished your PhD and you are looking for a postdoc to study stress-dependent modulation of learning. We are using the powerful fly model to understand the underlying circuits and mechanisms. You can apply here:
emploi.cnrs.fr/Offres/CDD/U...

15.09.2025 10:25 πŸ‘ 11 πŸ” 18 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 2

Drosophila research without FlyBase would be untenable. Time for all labs who can afford it to step up.

14.08.2025 20:04 πŸ‘ 8 πŸ” 10 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

#FlyCROSS mentee surveys are open for #earlycareer #Drosophila scientists. If you're a #gradstudent #postdoc or pretenure faculty or equivalent - fill up the survey by Sept 1 to participate & be matched by #mentor of your preferences to gain guidance to your unique needs. @flybase.bsky.social

21.07.2025 19:11 πŸ‘ 18 πŸ” 19 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 3
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Toward more sustainable research: reducing the environmental impact when working with Drosophila Abstract. The ever-increasing amounts of plastic waste and greenhouse gas emissions worldwide threaten our environment. Biomedical laboratories across the

Now proper out: doi.org/10.1093/gene...

02.07.2025 12:12 πŸ‘ 17 πŸ” 13 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

The lab's first PhD student, Mirjam Heinemans, co-supervised with the fantastic Marta Moita @moitalab.bsky.social, brilliantly presented and defended her thesis today! Massive congratulations Dr Heinemans!!!

24.06.2025 16:00 πŸ‘ 6 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Summer 2025 Survey For Mentors : FlyCROSS Mentor Mentee Matching Program We appreciate you taking the time and volunteering to be a mentor! Add dmelcross@gmail.com to your email address book or safe sender list, so that you can receive our emails. To be a participating me...

Hey #Drosophila folks ! #FlyCROSS is back and #Mentor surveys are open NOW ! If you're a faculty/postdoc/ equivalent in any scientific career & have #Drosophila research experience - we'd be delighted to have you as mentors to empower early career scientists in the #Dros community !

02.06.2025 23:49 πŸ‘ 16 πŸ” 18 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 4

Thank you @deepanshund.bsky.social for your participation and enthusiasm, and congratulations on winning a well-deserved poster award!

23.06.2025 18:34 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

It was a lovely first Fly North(East) meeting, diverse and supportive. Thank you all for sharing your science and the enthusiasm in strengthening our community. Thank you @gensocuk.bsky.social for the sponsorship that made it possible.

21.06.2025 07:02 πŸ‘ 14 πŸ” 5 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1
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Towards more sustainable research: reducing the environmental impact when working with #Drosophila. Challiner, Saurya., Patel, Raff, Fostier, Prokop, A. (2025) @genetics-gsa.bsky.social‬, in press -- doi.org/10.1093/gene... - Always happy to discuss and hear your ideas and views!

13.06.2025 06:01 πŸ‘ 37 πŸ” 23 πŸ’¬ 3 πŸ“Œ 2
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We hosted the first North East Fly Meeting today! It was great to connect with people from all over as well as the local universities. A great learning and networking opportunity for us all! Sometimes it's just great to talk flies with all fly people! @clarahowcroft.bsky.social @dpdoupe.bsky.social

20.06.2025 19:55 πŸ‘ 7 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Featuring our keynote speaker @amandabretman.bsky.social and many members of northern fly groups @poppi62.bsky.social, @natsansor.bsky.social, @vincentcroset.bsky.social, @exdrososcientia.bsky.social, @wolfhuette.bsky.social, @stuartwigby.bsky.social, Marisa Merino, Alistair McGregor, Rebecca Clark.

19.06.2025 12:47 πŸ‘ 7 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0