TAME PhD Researchers Get Hands-On with Fruit Fly Experiments in Athens—And Why It Matters for All of Us
Did you know that fruit flies—those tiny insects buzzing around your kitchen—are helping scientists unlock the secrets of dementia? In April 2026, the PhD researchers from the TAME project gathered in Athens, Greece, for the fifth training module, which included a special hands-on training workshop on working with fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) in the lab. These small but mighty creatures play a big role in understanding diseases like Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.
Why Fruit Flies?
You might be wondering: What do fruit flies have to do with human brains? Surprisingly, quite a bit! Their simple nervous system helps researchers study how brain cells work and what goes wrong in diseases like dementia. At BSRC Athens, scientists study fruit flies to test the efficiency of the anti-tau nanobodies developed by TAME.
Imagine holding a tiny vial of fruit flies that could unlock the mysteries of the human brain. That’s exactly what these researchers are doing! Here’s what some of them have to say:
“ You can even test how flies learn, remember, and forget. Flies are trained to associate a specific smell with a mild electric shock. Later, they’re tested to see if they avoid that smell. Flies that forget the lesson will blissfully wander toward the “dangerous” smell, while the smart ones zoom away. “ — Evangelia Manousaki, CNRS
The skills and knowledge gained in Athens will now be put to work in other labs across Europe.
