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Evolutionary Neuroethology Lab
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The lab explores the evolutionary origins of the brain and mind through hagfish and lampreys.
AboutAbout the lab
Uncovering the evolutionary origins of the vertebrate brain and mind.
The Evolutionary Neuroethology Lab studies the evolution of vertebrate morphology (especially the brain and cranial peripheral nerves), neural circuits, neural function including behavior, and the mind.
Its main study subjects are the jawless cyclostomes: hagfish and lampreys.
The lab investigates these animals using methods such as neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, molecular biology, and bioinformatics.
There are also research projects that the professor pursues individually, such as analyzing the concept of homology.
Key terms
- Cyclostomes
- A group of jawless vertebrates, including hagfish and lampreys
- Homology
- The relationship in which organs or nerves of different animals correspond to each other because they derive from a common ancestor
- Trigeminal nerve
- A nerve that innervates the area around the mouth. In both lampreys and jawed animals, it divides into three main branches
NewsLab news
Paper on the muscles and nerves of the oral region in lamprey larvae published in Developmental Biology Advances
Co-authored paper on the course of the trigeminal nerve in lampreys and other animals accepted by the Journal of Comparative Neurology
Paper revealing the repertoire of olfactory-related receptors in hagfish published in iScience
Paper on the 3D brain reconstruction and gene expression atlas of the hagfish released as a preprint on bioRxiv
Paper revealing the olfactory receptor repertoire of the hagfish released as a preprint on bioRxiv
ResearchResearch themes
The lab aims to elucidate the evolutionary origins of the vertebrate brain, nervous system, behavior, and mind. It focuses mainly on hagfish and lampreys, and also collaborates on research using bats.
*Illustrative imageEvolutionary origin of the cerebral cortex
The lab reconstructs the hagfish brain in 3D and examines gene expression to build a brain atlas. This research explores the evolutionary origin of the cerebral cortex (the pallium of the telencephalon), and the paper has been made public as a preprint.
*Illustrative imageEvolutionary origin and diversification of olfaction
The lab is investigating the repertoire of olfactory receptors in hagfish. Hagfish belong to a lineage that branched off early among vertebrates, and this research explores how olfaction diversified in each lineage.
*Illustrative imageThe trigeminal nerve and the evolutionary origin of jaws
The lab is investigating which branches of the trigeminal nerve in jawed animals correspond to the branches of the lamprey trigeminal nerve. In a collaborative study comparing embryos of sharks, catfish, and African clawed frogs, it showed that the acquisition of jaws may have rearranged the innervation around the mouth.
MembersFaculty
The Evolutionary Neuroethology Lab consists of faculty members, doctoral students, master's students, undergraduate students, and postdocs with joint appointments.As of 2026
- Assistant ProfessorDaichi Suzuki
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Report an errorAbout the images
The top and research theme images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab. They are cropped from Wikimedia Commons images. Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “Migrating Pacific lamprey ( )” USFWS Pacific / Public domain (cropped)
- Evolutionary origin of the cerebral cortex: “Hagfish knot” Justin / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Evolutionary origin and diversification of olfaction: “Anatomy and physiology of animals Olfactory organ the sense of smell” The original uploader was Sunshineconnelly at English Wikibooks. / CC BY 3.0 (cropped)
- The trigeminal nerve and the evolutionary origin of jaws: “Eryops megacephalus skeleton at American Museum of Natural History” Vicpeters / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
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