Jordanna SprayberryProfessor of Biology
New Science Building 115
484-664-3249
[email protected]
Dr. Sprayberry Lab
Education
B.S., Zoology, University of Rhode Island, 1998
Ph.D., Biology, Univeristy of Washington, 2005
Postdoctoral Study, University of Washington, 2006
Postdoctoral Study, University of Arizona, 2008
Courses Taught
BIO 165
General Physiology (BIO 250)
Neuroscience courses
Research Interests
All behaviors can be generalized with a simple control loop, where sensory information is neurally processed to produce a motor output, which in turn produces actual behavior. I use insect models to investigate how processing of sensory information drives behavior. Animal behavior can impact ecological and evolutionary relationships, particularly in insect-plant systems. My research also explores the potential relationships between sensory processing and insect-plant interactions. I currently have three lines of investigation in my lab: 1. how natural flower motions are represented by descending visually-sensitive neurons in the hawkmoth Manduca sexta, 2. the integration of visual and olfactory cues in bumblebee foraging, and 3. the impacts of non-pesticide agricultural pollutants on olfactory navigation in bumblebees.
Recent Publications and Abstracts
Sprayberry JDH (2009) Responses of descending visually-sensitive neurons in the hawkmoth, Manduca sexta, to three-dimensional flower-like stimuli. Journal of Insect Science 9:7, available online: insectscience.org/9.07
Geurten BRH, Nordstron K, Sprayberry JDH, Bolzon DM, and O’Carroll DC (2007) Correlation type target detection in a dragonfly centrifugal target neuron. Journal of Experimental Biology 210: 3277-3284.
Sprayberry JDH and Daniel T (2007) Flower tracking in the hawk moth Manduca sexta: behavior and energetics. Journal of Experimental Biology 210: 37-45.
Araki M, Nagayama T, and Sprayberry J (2005) Cyclic AMP mediates serotonin induced synaptic enhancement of lateral giant interneuron of the crayfish. Journal of Neurophysiology 94: 2644-2652.
Recent Presentations
Sprayberry JDH and Suver M (2007) Innate flower motion preferences in the hawk moth Manduca sexta. 2007 Final Program and Abstracts of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology.
Sprayberry JDH and Daniel T (2006) Left-right steering in the hawk moth Manduca sexta. 2006 Final Program and Abstracts of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology.
Sprayberry JDH (2005) Descending visual neurons in the hawk moth Manduca sexta respond to flower-like-stimuli. 2005 Final Program and Abstracts of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology.
Sprayberry JDH and Howell S (2004) Hawkmoths, flower tracking and frequencies: implications for functional performance. 2004 Final Program and Abstracts of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. 315.
Sprayberry JDH (2003) Descending visual control of flower tracking in Manduca sexta. 2003 Final Program and Abstracts of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. 312.
Henry JD and O’Carroll DC (2002) What visual information so hawking dragonfly predators use to intercept prey? 2002 Final Program and Abstracts of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. 229.
