Neuroscience
Biology Unit
We are interested in how insects are able to detect and discriminate odors produced by individuals of own and related species and between host and non-host plants/mammals.
These interactions between organisms form suitable model systems for studying the olfactory coding mechanisms involved. It includes pheromone communication (intra- and interspecific) in moths (Heliothinae) and insect-host interactions between moths/beetles and plants as well as between malaria mosquitoes and humans. Comparative studies of closely related heliothine species further enlighten evolutionary aspects of the neuronal mechanisms.
The objectives are:
- To identify biologically relevant odorants (particularly plant and human body odors).
- To determine receptor neuron specificities (structure-activity relationships) and receptor neuron projections in the antennal lobe (identified glomeruli).
- To explore how pheromone and plant odor information in heliotine moths is encoded by neurons in the antennal lobe (the primary olfactory integration center), and how the glommeruli in the antennal lobe are functionally organized. This involves primarily intracellular recordings combined with stainings and reconstruction in confocal microscope .
- To determine the biological meaning of odorants by behavioural studies.
Neural pathways processing chemosensory signal information in the moth brain.
Invertebrate neuroanatomy has a strong tradition back to the end of the nineteenth century and many universal ideas of neuroscience have arisen from using insect model systems. The enormous repertoires of beauty and behaviour expressed among these small creatures are indeed reflected in the tiny insect brain. The extensiveness and diversity of insects have made them attractive objects for many researchers. Moths are able to detect olfactory signals with remarkable specificity and sensitivity. By studying the neural pathways of the moth we aim to elucidate how chemosensory signal information is processed in the periphery and the integration centres of the brain. The methods used include electrophysiological experiments and different staining techniques in combination with confocal microscopy reconstructions.
