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Insect Olfaction

Insects utilize olfactory cues from the surrounding to find food sources, hosts, mating partners, and oviposition sites as well as to avoid predators, pathogens, and dangerous environmental conditions. Thus, a functioning sense of smell is critically important for various aspects of insect life and often crucial for survival. To detect the relevant chemical signals, many insect species have evolved highly specialized olfactory systems that exhibit exquisite sensitivity and discriminatory power.

We are particularly interested in the molecular biological and cell physiological processes underlying the sensitive reception, the accurate discrimination, and the coding of olfactory signals. Our research projects focus on the olfactory system of insects that represent severe pests (moth, locust) or disease vectors (mosquitoes). The research on the various model organisms is primarily directed to gain detailed understanding of the functional elements and mechanisms that are involved in the detection of behaviorally relevant pheromones, plant volatiles and host odors. However, our research may also identify new targets that can be used to affect olfaction and thereby to control insect species that damage plants or transfer diseases to humans.

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