Tomoko Ohyama, McGill University

Research

Drosophila Escape Behavior,Neural Circuit Neuromodulation Nociception Octopamine Optogenetics Pain

Latest papers

A positive feedback loop between sensory and octopaminergic neurons underlies nociceptive plasticity in Drosophila larvae.
PLoS genetics · 2026 · senior author
Epidermal cells and sensory neurons team up.
eLife · 2025 · senior author
Feedback inhibition by a descending GABAergic neuron regulates timing of escape behavior in Drosophila larvae.
eLife · 2024 · senior author

All 9 publications

Latest funding

Role of Octopamine, a Homologue of Noradrenalin, in Experience-dependent Nociceptive Sensitization
CIHR · 2024 · Nominated PI
$726,750
Dissecting the neural mechanisms underlying multisensory integration
CIHR · 2016 · Nominated PI
$508,725

All 2 grants and awards

9 publications.

01

A positive feedback loop between sensory and octopaminergic neurons underlies nociceptive plasticity in Drosophila larvae.

Boivin JC, Zhao YQ, Zhu J, Dakin JT, Ning J, Ohyama T

PLoS genetics2026Senior author

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1012122 PMID: 42048383

02

Epidermal cells and sensory neurons team up.

Boivin JC, Ohyama T

eLife2025Senior author

DOI: 10.7554/elife.107113 PMID: 40353354

03

Feedback inhibition by a descending GABAergic neuron regulates timing of escape behavior in Drosophila larvae.

Zhu J, Boivin JC, Garner A, Ning J, Zhao YQ, Ohyama T

eLife2024Senior author

DOI: 10.7554/elife.93978 PMID: 39196635

04

Mechanical vibration patterns elicit behavioral transitions and habituation in crawling Drosophila larvae.

Berne A, Zhang T, Shomar J, Ferrer AJ, Valdes A, Ohyama T, Klein M

eLife2023

DOI: 10.7554/elife.69205 PMID: 37855833

05

Comparative connectomics and escape behavior in larvae of closely related Drosophila species.

Zhu J, Boivin JC, Pang S, Xu CS, Lu Z, Saalfeld S, Hess HF, Ohyama T

Current biology : CB2023Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.05.043 PMID: 37285846

06

Nociception in fruit fly larvae.

Boivin JC, Zhu J, Ohyama T

Frontiers in pain research (Lausanne, Switzerland)2023Senior author

DOI: 10.3389/fpain.2023.1076017 PMID: 37006412

07

Ataxia-linked SLC1A3 mutations alter EAAT1 chloride channel activity and glial regulation of CNS function.

Wu Q, Akhter A, Pant S, Cho E, Zhu JX, Garner A, Ohyama T, Tajkhorshid E, van Meyel DJ, Ryan RM

The Journal of clinical investigation2022

DOI: 10.1172/jci154891 PMID: 35167492

08

Recurrent architecture for adaptive regulation of learning in the insect brain.

Eschbach C, Fushiki A, Winding M, Schneider-Mizell CM, Shao M, Arruda R, Eichler K, Valdes-Aleman J, Ohyama T, Thum AS, Gerber B, Fetter RD, Truman JW, Litwin-Kumar A, Cardona A, Zlatic M

Nature neuroscience2020

DOI: 10.1038/s41593-020-0607-9 PMID: 32203499

09

Nociceptive interneurons control modular motor pathways to promote escape behavior in Drosophila.

Burgos A, Honjo K, Ohyama T, Qian CS, Shin GJ, Gohl DM, Silies M, Tracey WD, Zlatic M, Cardona A, Grueber WB

eLife2018

DOI: 10.7554/elife.26016 PMID: 29528286

Role of Octopamine, a Homologue of Noradrenalin, in Experience-dependent Nociceptive Sensitization

Nominated PICIHR2024Project Grant

Principal investigators: Ohyama, Tomoko

Keywords: Drosophila; Escape Behavior,; Neural Circuit; Neuromodulation; Nociception; Octopamine; Optogenetics; Pain; Sensitization

$726,750

Dissecting the neural mechanisms underlying multisensory integration

Nominated PICIHR2016Project Grant

Principal investigators: Ohyama, Tomoko

Keywords: Drosophila; Electron Microscope; Multisensory Integration; Neural Circuits; Neurogenetics; Nociceptaion; Sensory-Motor Integration

$508,725

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Write to this professor

A short, specific email works best. This draft uses one of their recent papers; replace the parts in brackets with your own details before sending.

Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their CIHR grant from 2024

Subject: Prospective PhD student: Drosophila Dear Professor Ohyama, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "A positive feedback loop between sensory and octopaminergic neurons underlies nociceptive plasticity in Drosophila larvae." (2026), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] I also saw your CIHR-funded project "Role of Octopamine, a Homologue of Noradrenalin, in Experience-dependent Nociceptive Sensitization" (2024), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]