Scott Juntti

Scott Juntti

@scottjuntti.bsky.social

Uncovering the roots of social behaviors

603 followers165 following12 posts

Scott Juntti reposted

Scott Juntti reposted

When a fish sees the world move, it immediately swims with it. This is the optomotor response: a visual reflex found across animals that helps us maintain our position and orientation as our surroundings appear to drift. ๐ŸŸ๐Ÿ‘€

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Pairing this assay with our cichlid GCaMP calcium imaging will let us watch neural activity while they perform the behaviorโ€”connecting sensory processing, motor control, and evolutionary change in a highly accessible vertebrate system. Looking forward to more #neuroethology in this model!

When a fish sees the world move, it immediately swims with it. This is the optomotor response: a visual reflex found across animals that helps us maintain our position and orientation as our surroundings appear to drift. ๐ŸŸ๐Ÿ‘€

View full thread

Pairing this assay with our cichlid GCaMP calcium imaging will let us watch neural activity while they perform the behaviorโ€”connecting sensory processing, motor control, and evolutionary change in a highly accessible vertebrate system. Looking forward to more #neuroethology in this model!

When a fish sees the world move, it immediately swims with it. This is the optomotor response: a visual reflex found across animals that helps us maintain our position and orientation as our surroundings appear to drift. ๐ŸŸ๐Ÿ‘€

View full thread

This matters because visual input must be transformed into coordinated motor output, moment by moment. Comparing cichlids and zebrafish reveals that similar behavioral goals can be achieved through different movement strategiesโ€”linking evolutionary diversity to the organization of behavior.

When a fish sees the world move, it immediately swims with it. This is the optomotor response: a visual reflex found across animals that helps us maintain our position and orientation as our surroundings appear to drift. ๐ŸŸ๐Ÿ‘€

View full thread

The answer is more sophisticated than โ€œthe tail propels fish forward.โ€ #Cichlids use coordinated pectoral-fin and tail movements to make refined adjustments while tracking visual motion. They smoothly follow optomotor stimuli via constant corrections, and even use pectoral fins to swim backwards.

When a fish sees the world move, it immediately swims with it. This is the optomotor response: a visual reflex found across animals that helps us maintain our position and orientation as our surroundings appear to drift. ๐ŸŸ๐Ÿ‘€

Scott Juntti reposted

Protists deserve the spotlight and so do scientists! This was such an honor but mostly, this project reminded me why I have the best job and friends/colleagues in the world! ๐Ÿ”ฌ

Carolyn Johnson@carolynyjohnson.bsky.social

Many scientists feel grim right now. Here's a different story - about discovery, friendship, grimness, yes, but how science finds a way! @couchmicroscopy.bsky.social @andrewilloughb.bsky.social In an $80 Motel Room, a Discovery to Shed Light on the Origins of Life www.nytimes.com/2026/09/26/s...

Scott Juntti reposted

Scott Juntti reposted

I'm thrilled to be opening my own lab this Fall at the @maxplanck.de MPI for Brain Research in Frankfurt. The lab is going to investigate the neuronal and genetic underpinnings of behavioral evolution. We are hiring on all levels. Don't hesitate to share widely and reach out if interested.

Scott Juntti reposted

Scott Juntti reposted

Scott Juntti reposted

If you know anyone who might be interested in working as a technician before a PhD, I'm looking for someone to work with me to generate some amazing data to understand the genetics of behavior, sex differences, and reproduction in an evolutionary context. Bonus? Amazing and supportive department!

Scott Juntti reposted

Hey, senior grad student! I see you there, trying to hide. You're probably thinking: "That @CSHL symposium sounds cool, but I'll never be invited because my research is lame" Wrong! Tell your impostor syndrome to take a seat and apply now! Deadline extended to Dec. 15 cshl.edu/research/pos...

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