Staff profile

I obtained my PhD from the University of Lausanne (Switzerland), working on the evolution and function of a then novel family of chemosensory receptors, in the lab of Richard Benton. There, I traced the evolution of these receptors across the genomes of dozens of invertebrates, and found that for some of them participate in amino-acid taste perception. 

After graduating in 2013, I moved to the Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour at the University of Oxford to work with Scott Waddell on transcriptomic variability and heterogeneity in the Drosophila brain. There, I generated the first single-cell transcriptomic atlas from the fly brain, which I used to identify new genes that define cell types, and resolve transmitter co-expression and receptor assembly. More recently, I used single-cell transcriptomics to address state-dependent gene expression changes induced by thirst. This led to the discovery that astrocytic D-serine signaling is key to regulate water consumption in thirsty animals. 

Research

In the brain, modulation of gene expression influences the activity of particular neurons and circuits to regulate essential functions such as memory, sleep, feeding or social interactions. In turn, neuronal activity and plasticity also influence the expression of specific genes to regulate neurotransmission and maintain homeostasis. We use the simple brain of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster as a model to understand the interplay between neuronal activity and transcription. Using single-cell transcriptomics, behaviour and neuronal imaging, we are able to identify novel genes and pathways that sustain key neuronal functions, with an unprecedented level of detail. Description of these mechanisms could inform treatments against neurological conditions, such as addiction or neurodegenerative diseases. 

• Neurosciences
• Transcriptomics
• Memory
• Dopamine
• Drosophila
• Behaviour
• Psychostimulants

Journal Article

• Sun, J., Rojo-Cortés, F., Ulian-Benitez, S., Forero, M. G., Li, G., Singh, D., Wang, X., Cachero, S., Moreira, M., Kavanagh, D., Jefferis, G., Croset, V., & Hidalgo, A. (2024). A neurotrophin functioning with a Toll regulates structural plasticity in a dopaminergic circuit. eLife, 13, Article RP102222. https://doi.org/10.7554/elife.102222.1
• Jovanoski, K. D., Duquenoy, L., Mitchell, J., Kapoor, I., Treiber, C. D., Croset, V., Dempsey, G., Parepalli, S., Cognigni, P., Otto, N., Felsenberg, J., & Waddell, S. (2023). Dopaminergic systems create reward seeking despite adverse consequences. Nature, 623(7986), 356-365. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-06671-8
• Fölsz, O., Trouche, S., & Croset, V. (2023). Adult-born neurons add flexibility to hippocampal memories. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 17, Article 1128623. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2023.1128623
• Park, A., Croset, V., Otto, N., Agarwal, D., Treiber, C. D., Meschi, E., Sims, D., & Waddell, S. (2022). Gliotransmission of D-serine promotes thirst-directed behaviors in Drosophila. Current Biology, 32(18), 3952-3970. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2022.07.038
• Allen, A., Neville, M., Birtles, S., Croset, V., Treiber, C., Waddell, S., & Goodwin, S. (2020). A single-cell transcriptomic atlas of the adult Drosophila ventral nerve cord. eLife, 9, Article e54074. https://doi.org/10.7554/elife.54074
• Sánchez-Alcañiz, J., Silbering, A., Croset, V., Zappia, G., Sivasubramaniam, A., Abuin, L., Sahai, S., Münch, D., Steck, K., Auer, T., Cruchet, S., Neagu-Maier, G., Sprecher, S., Ribeiro, C., Yapici, N., & Benton, R. (2020). Publisher Correction: An expression atlas of variant ionotropic glutamate receptors identifies a molecular basis of carbonation sensing (Nature Communications, (2018), 9, 1, (4252), 10.1038/s41467-018-06453-1). Nature Communications, 11(1), https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-14882-0
• Croset, V., Treiber, C., & Waddell, S. (2018). Cellular diversity in the Drosophila midbrain revealed by single-cell transcriptomics. eLife, 7, Article e34550. https://doi.org/10.7554/elife.34550
• Sánchez-Alcañiz, J., Silbering, A., Croset, V., Zappia, G., Sivasubramaniam, A., Abuin, L., Sahai, S., Münch, D., Steck, K., Auer, T., Cruchet, S., Neagu-Maier, G., Sprecher, S., Ribeiro, C., Yapici, N., & Benton, R. (2018). An expression atlas of variant ionotropic glutamate receptors identifies a molecular basis of carbonation sensing. Nature Communications, 9(1), Article 4252. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-06453-1
• Knecht, Z., Silbering, A., Cruz, J., Yang, L., Croset, V., Benton, R., & Garrity, P. (2017). Ionotropic receptor-dependent moist and dry cells control hygrosensation in Drosophila. eLife, 6, https://doi.org/10.7554/elife.26654
• Gulia-Nuss, M., Nuss, A., Meyer, J., Sonenshine, D., Roe, R., Waterhouse, R., Sattelle, D., De La Fuente, J., Ribeiro, J., Megy, K., Thimmapuram, J., Miller, J., Walenz, B., Koren, S., Hostetler, J., Thiagarajan, M., Joardar, V., Hannick, L., Bidwell, S., Hammond, M., …Hill, C. (2016). Genomic insights into the Ixodes scapularis tick vector of Lyme disease. Nature Communications, 7, https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms10507
• Croset, V., Schleyer, M., Arguello, J., Gerber, B., & Benton, R. (2016). A molecular and neuronal basis for amino acid sensing in the Drosophila larva. Scientific Reports, 6, https://doi.org/10.1038/srep34871
• Chen, C., Buhl, E., Xu, M., Croset, V., Rees, J., Lilley, K., Benton, R., Hodge, J., & Stanewsky, R. (2015). Drosophila Ionotropic Receptor 25a mediates circadian clock resetting by temperature. Nature, 527(7579), 516-520. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature16148
• Rytz, R., Croset, V., & Benton, R. (2013). Ionotropic Receptors (IRs): Chemosensory ionotropic glutamate receptors in Drosophila and beyond. Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 43(9), 888-897. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ibmb.2013.02.007
• Smith, C., Zimin, A., Holt, C., Abouheif, E., Benton, R., Cash, E., Croset, V., Currie, C., Elhaik, E., Elsik, C., Fave, M.-J., Fernandes, V., Gadau, J., Gibson, J., Graur, D., Grubbs, K., Hagen, D., Helmkampf, M., Holley, J.-A., Hu, H., …Tsutsui, N. (2011). Draft genome of the globally widespread and invasive Argentine ant (Linepithema humile). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108(14), 5673-5678. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1008617108
• Smith, C., Smith, C., Robertson, H., Helmkampf, M., Zimin, A., Yandell, M., Holt, C., Hu, H., Abouheif, E., Benton, R., Cash, E., Croset, V., Currie, C., Elhaik, E., Elsik, C., Favé, M.-J., Fernandes, V., Gibson, J., Graur, D., Gronenberg, W., …Gadau, J. (2011). Draft genome of the red harvester ant Pogonomyrmex barbatus. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108(14), 5667-5672. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1007901108
• Croset, V., Rytz, R., Cummins, S., Budd, A., Brawand, D., Kaessmann, H., Gibson, T., & Benton, R. (2010). Ancient protostome origin of chemosensory ionotropic glutamate receptors and the evolution of insect taste and olfaction. PLoS Genetics, 6(8), https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1001064
• Gutjahr, C., Banba, M., Croset, V., An, K., Miyao, A., An, G., Hirochika, H., Imaizumi-Anraku, H., & Paszkowski, U. (2008). Arbuscular Mycorrhiza-Specific Signaling in Rice Transcends the Common Symbiosis Signaling Pathway. The Plant Cell, 20(11), 2989-3005. https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.108.062414

Other (Print)

• SUN, J., ULIAN-BENITEZ, S., FORERO, M. G., LI, G., SINGH, D., ROJO-CORTES, F. R., WANG, X., CACHERO, S., MOREIRA, M., KAVANAGH, D., JEFFERIS, G. S. X. E., CROSET, V., & HIDALGO, A. Structural circuit plasticity by a neurotrophin with a Toll modifies dopamine-dependent behaviour