Neuroethology Postdoctoral Researcher
e-mail: melissa.pitzalis@universite-paris-saclay.fr
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-6847-6499
Publications
Pitzalis, M., V. Larcher, M. G. de B. Sanchez, M. Giurfa, J. Carcaud, and J.-C. Sandoz. 2026. “ Somatotopic Organization of Sensory Inputs From Taste Appendages in the Subesophageal Zone and Brain of the Honey Bee Apis mellifera.” Journal of Comparative Neurology 534, no. 11: e70221. https://doi.org/10.1002/cne.70221
Skills
Epifluorescent, confocal and 2-photon microscopy
In vivo calcium imaging
Insect dissection (butterflies, honey bees, drosophila)
Anatomical staining – histology
Immunohistochemistry
3D reconstruction
Behaviour and statistical analyses
Transgenesis – microinjection of honey bee eggs
Bee keeping
Fruit fly rearing
Students supervision
Scientific communications
- Poster: 36th edition of the European Chemoreception Research Organization (ECRO)
[Paris, France, 2026] - Talk: 20th Congress of the Int. Union for the Study of Social Insects (IUSSI)
[Freiburg, Germany – 2026] - Talk: 19th European Symposium for Insect Taste and Olfaction (ESITO)
[Sardinia, Italy – 2025] - Talk: 19th International Symposium on Olfaction and Taste (ISOT)
[Reykjavík, Iceland – 2024] - Talk: 24th meeting of the French Club of Invertebrate Neurobiology
[Gif-sur-Yvette, France – 2024] - Talk: Neuroethology Satellite Meeting at Neurofrance
[Lyon, France – 2023] - Poster: 9th edition of the SDSV Doctoral School Day
[Gif-sur-Yvette, France – 2023] - Poster: 15th meeting of the German Neuroscience Society
[Göttingen, Germany – 2023]
Employment history
Postdoctoral researcher, 2026-2028 [University Paris-Saclay]
Pheromonal processing and division of labour in the honey bee Apis mellifera
EGCE Lab, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
Teaching assistant, 2022-2025 [University Paris-Saclay]
Soil ecology
Calcium Imaging and Neuroanatomy assistant, 2022 [CNRS]
EGCE Lab, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
Internship, 2021 [University of Bristol, UK]
Comparative neuroanatomy in Heliconiini butterflies: how neurogenesis has been altered to bring about a massive increase in the number of neurons in the mushroom bodies
Internship, 2021 [CNRS]
Exploring neural activity patterns through multisite calcium imaging on genetically engineered Apis mellifera
EGCE Lab, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
Teaching assistant, 2020-2022 [University of Turin, Italy]
Invertebrate zoology, plant ecology, mineralogy
Docent guide, 2019 [El Castillo, Costa Rica]
Education
PhD in Neuroscience, 2026
University Paris-Saclay, France
Thesis title: Neuroethology of taste in the honey bee Apis mellifera: from behaviour to the neural circuits
Master degree in Evolution of Animal and Human Behaviour, 2022
University of Turin, Italy
Thesis title: The olfactome partition in the honey bee brain: exploring neural activity patterns through multisite calcium imaging on genetically engineered Apis mellifera.
110/110 cum laude
Bachelor degree in Natural Sciences, 2019
University of Turin
110/110 cum laude
High school diploma, 2016
Liceo Classico Linguistico Daniele Crespi (Italy)