Skip to main content
Skip to main menu

Slideshow

Daichi Kamiyama

Blurred image of the arch used as background for stylistic purposes.
Assistant Professor

The human brain is composed of complex networks of interconnected neurons. Determining the principles that drive assembly of neural network is a high priority goal in the field of neuroscience and important for understanding the etiology of conditions such as Autism spectrum disorder and Down syndrome.

Nerual network assembly requires coordination of a complex set of cellular events. In particular, cell-cell contacts play pivotal roles in precisely positioning axons, dendrites and synapses at appropriate targets. An example is given by our recent work that revealed the mechanisms underlying the specification of dendritic outgrowth in Drosophila. We have discovered that the guidance cue comes from inter-neural contact, and that the communication is mediated by Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule (Dscam) proteins. 

Our long-term objective is to understand how cellular communication translates into neural morphogenesis. We are currently focusing on studying the functions of Dscam inter-neural contact in neural morphogenesis. We are also developing imaging toolkits for the systematic study of contact-dependent signaling pathways, including a Drosophila collection of fluorescent tagged adhesion molecules to map to specific neuronal processes as well as a contact-dependent expression system to identify partner cells.

Research Interests:

Neuroscience; the molecular and cellular mechanisms of neural circuit assembly

Kamiyama, R*., Banzai, K*., Liu, P., Marar, A., Tamura, R., Jiang, F., Fitch, MA., Xie, J., and Kamiyama, D. (2021). Cell-type-specific, multi-color labeling of endogenous proteins with split fluorescent protein tags in Drosophila. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 118, e2024690118. (* co-first authorship) [link]

Tamura, R., Jiang, F., Xie, J., and Kamiyama, D. (2021). Multiplexed labeling of cellular proteins with split fluorescent proteins. Commun. Biol. 4, 257. [link]

Inal, MA., Banzai, K., and Kamiyama, D. (2020). Retrograde tracing of Drosophila embryonic motor neurons using lipophilic fluorescent dyes. J. Vis. Exp. Jan 12; (155). [link]

Courses Regularly Taught:
Events featuring Daichi Kamiyama
362 R.C. Wilson Pharmacy Building

Support us

We appreciate your financial support. Your gift is important to us and helps support critical opportunities for students and faculty alike, including lectures, travel support, and any number of educational events that augment the classroom experience. Click here to learn more about giving.

Every dollar given has a direct impact upon our students and faculty.

Got More Questions?

Undergraduate inquiries:  cellbio@uga.edu

Registration and credit transferscellbio@uga.edu

AP Credit, Section Changes, Overrides, Prerequisitescellbio@uga.edu

Graduate inquiries:  cbgrad@uga.edu

Contact Us!

Assistant to the Department Head: Dr. Cordula Schulz, 706-542-3515

Main office phone: 706-542-3310

Fax: 706-542-4271

Head of the Department: Dr. Dennis Kyle