Guest Editors
Wesam Meshrif
Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Tanta University
Wesam Meshrif earned his Ph.D. from Tanta University in collaboration with Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel, Germany. He subsequently completed multiple postdoctoral fellowships in Germany, where he focused on Drosophila immunology and evolutionary ecology. His research expertise encompasses host–parasite interactions and the use of Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism for human diseases, particularly type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease.Prof. Meshrif has supervised numerous graduate students working on disease modeling in Drosophila and has published extensively in high-impact journals. He serves on the editorial boards of the Egyptian Journal of Cancer and Biomedical Research and CATRINA. He also maintains active collaborations with DrosAfrica and the African Society of Drosophilists.His unique integration of insect immunology, disease modeling, and translational research enables him to effectively bridge fundamental Drosophila genetics with clinically relevant biomedical applications.
Samar El Kholy
Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Tanta University
Samar El Kholy earned her Ph.D. from Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel, Germany, and subsequently completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Germany focusing on Drosophila models of Parkinson’s disease. Her research expertise spans entomology and biological sciences, with particular emphasis on metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases, aging, and environmental toxicology using insect models.Prof. El Kholy has made significant research contributions in modeling and investigating biogenic amine alterations associated with age-related tissue impairment, as well as in studying the effects of environmental pollutants, including microplastics, on Drosophila melanogaster. She has supervised several graduate students working on disease modeling in Drosophila and has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals.Her collaborative work encompasses studies on novel insecticide discovery, hepatitis C virus transmission by mosquitoes, and the effects of cellular phone radiation on insect behavior. Prof. El Kholy’s extensive experience in metabolic disease research, coupled with her expertise in insect physiology and biochemistry, positions her as an ideal co-editor for a collection focused on disease modeling in Drosophila, particularly in the context of neurodegenerative disorders.
Collection Overview
This collection presents comprehensive methodologies for modeling human metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases using Drosophila melanogaster, with particular emphasis on diabetes and Parkinson's disease. The collection covers:
- Metabolic Disease Modeling: Protocols for creating and characterizing fly models of diabetes, obesity, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome, including dietary manipulation, metabolic assays, and longevity studies.
- Parkinson's Disease Research: Techniques for modeling α-synuclein aggregation, dopaminergic neuron degeneration, mitochondrial dysfunction, and motor phenotype assessment.
- Drug Screening & Validation: High-throughput screening platforms, compound testing workflows, and translational validation approaches.
- Multi-systems Integration: Methods examining the intersection of metabolic dysfunction and neurodegeneration, reflecting the complex pathophysiology of human diseases.
- Advanced Phenotyping: Behavioral assays, biochemical analyses, imaging techniques, and omics approaches for comprehensive disease characterization.
This collection aims to accelerate translational research by providing standardized, reproducible protocols that bridge fundamental Drosophila genetics with clinically relevant disease mechanisms, facilitating drug discovery and therapeutic target identification.
Articles
Multimodal Behavioral Phenotyping of Stress-Induced Depression-Like States in Drosophila melanogaster
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2026
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Tatjana Krama1,2,3, Sergejs Popovs2, Samira J. Garajeva2, Ronalds Krams1,2,4, Colton B. Adams5, Markus J. Rantala6, Giedrius Trakimas2,7, Priit Jõers8, Benjamin L. de Bivort9, Indrikis Krams1,2,10
1Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Center, 2Department of Biodiversity, Institute of Life Sciences and Technology, Daugavpils University, 3Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, 4Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment "BIOR", 5Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 6Department of Biology, University of Turku, 7Institute of Biosciences, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, 8Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Tartu, 9Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, 10Department of Ecology, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Latvia