Rearing environment and brain volume in jumping spiders
We are seeking a motivated undergraduate student to help measure brain volumes from jumping spiders reared under different environmental conditions.
Given that neural tissue is costly to build and maintain, differences in brain size, density, and structure may reflect trade-offs shaped by early life experiences. In our study, we raised bold jumping spiders (Phidippus audax) in the lab under a range of environmental conditions, from complete darkness to more naturalistic settings. We also collected wild spiders from fields near campus. After sectioning whole spider heads at 100 μm, we fluorescently stained the tissue samples and imaged them with a confocal microscope.
The student will use software such as TrakEM2 (a Fiji/ImageJ plug-in) to:
- Build 3D brain models from aligned 2D image stacks
- Calculate volume of brain regions by tracing their boundaries
- Estimate cell density using stereological counting methods
This position involves spending extended periods at a computer, either in the lab or working remotely. The dataset is large, so there may be opportunities to continue the project or develop it into an independent or honors thesis, depending on interest and fit.
If you have questions, please contact Alex Winsor (amwinsor@umass.edu).
By joining this project, you will gain hands-on experience analyzing biological images — a skill widely applicable across neuroscience, biology, and data science. We are also open to exploring AI/emerging methods of automation (e.g., with cell counts).