Songhui Zhao

Toll receptor inspired my answer- the name of Toll receptor was taken from the German phrase “Das war ja toll”, “that was strange”.

All of us were born with endless questions, which are like the pluripotent stem cells capable of leading us to a variety of professions in the future. Proudly I’m differentiated into a neurobiologist and migrating toward the clusters of firing smart minds.

My name is Songhui Zhao, I am a Biologist specialized in neural development, olfaction and courtship. These seemingly unrelated topics were recruited to my research "transcription start site" by this lovely model organism Drosophila melanogaster.

I use fruit flies to conduct research and to teach.

I study the olfaction-driven courtship behavior in flies. Specifically, the genes and circuitry underlying these behaviors, and how development and experiences modify these structural and functional basis, which ultimately leads to changes in fly behaviors.

I integrate research-based projects in class, where my students propose and test their hypotheses, synthesizing the conceptual knowledge in practices. I strive to create a fostering environment for my students to learn and explore their interests in Biological Sciences.