Chemical Ecology
Our strength in Chemical Ecology is exceptional for any program in the United States. During the past few years we have hired Jim Tumlinson, Tom Baker, Mark Mescher, John Tooker, and Christina Grozinger to our existing team of chemical ecologists.
People specializing in this area
Faculty
Tom Baker, Ph.D.
Insect-to-insect or plant-to-insect chemical communication via olfaction, neuroethology, heliothine moth sex pheromone and host plant volatile mixture interactions, development of an insect antenna-based olfactory biosensor, discovery and development of novel insect attractants, traps and mating disruption dispensers, and evolution of sex pheromone blends.
Diana Cox-Foster, Ph.D.
Interactions between insects and their pathogens and parasites, elicitation and regulation of the insect immune system, enzyme interactions and gene expression in epidermis and immune responses, receptor/ligand reactions in pathogen recognition, cell--cell interactions and signaling pathways underlying immune response activation, suppression of host immune responses by parasitic microbes and arthropods.
Consuelo De Moraes, Ph.D.
Chemically mediated ecological interactions among plants, herbivores, and parasitoids, production and release of volatile compounds that mediate communication among plants and between plants and the natural enemies of insect herbivores, impacts of chemical communication on community structure and dynamics, volatile signaling between parasitic plants and their hosts.
Gary Felton, Ph.D.
Physiological, biochemical and molecular aspects of insect--plant interactions, impact of insect saliva (primarily glucose oxidase) on plant responses and acclimation to abiotic stresses, role of foliar phenolics in improving insect performance by stimulating feeding and/or by providing antioxidant benefits.
James Frazier, Ph.D.
Structure and function of insect chemosensory systems, impact of sensory systems on chemically mediated behavior (especially feeding behavior of caterpillars), roles of key stimuli during the early phases of induced plant defenses, mechanisms of transduction in chemosensory cells, design of antifeedant chemicals, and development of new detectors.
Mark Mescher, Ph.D.
Evolution, social behavior, multilevel selection, cultural evolution, volatile mediation of interactions among plants, herbivores, and parasitoids.
Chris Mullin, Ph.D.
Molecular mechanisms underlying differences in susceptibilities of insect species to the effects of synthetic or natural poisons, amino acid receptors as models for selective taste and insecticide action, cytochrome P450 monooxygenases and epoxide hydrolases as model detoxification enzymes degrading sensory chemicals at nerve receptor sites, peptide and protein taste receptors in beetles, development of novel biopesticides.
John Tooker, Ph.D.
Chemically mediated tritrophic interactions, host-plant location by herbivores, host location by parasitoids, understanding how plants defend themselves against insect herbivores, including the release of volatile compounds as indirect defenses, phytohormone dynamics in response to herbivory, gall-inducing insects.
James H. Tumlinson, Ph.D.
Insect pheromones and other semiochemicals, biochemistry of signal production and release in plants and insects, behavioral responses of insects to chemical cues, interactions among herbivorous insects, their host plants, and their natural enemies, biochemistry of insect saliva and regurgitant, environmentally safe pest management.
