Marcus Stensmyr

The central question of my research concerns how the olfactory system adapts to the habitat and needs of the animal. We are primarily working with the genetic model organism Drosophila melanogaster, aka the vinegar fly. My lab combines neurophysiological, molecular, phylogenetic, behavioral, ecological and chemical approaches in order to pinpoint specific neuronal circuits and molecular mechanisms underlying olfactory-guided behaviors. The main part of this work is aimed at identifying basic principles underlying insect olfaction, specifically coupling precise function to defined neuronal populations.