Taste is a critical chemical sense that drives behavioral decisions to eat, mate and lay eggs in insects. We use the genetic model insect, Drosophila melanogaster, to study the molecular and cellular basis of taste recognition at the periphery. To this end, we aim to:

• Map expression of chemosensory genes in taste sensory neurons located in the mouthparts and legs using molecular genetic approaches.

• Survey responses of taste sensory neurons to various tastants found in host plants and food sources using electrophysiology and imaging techniques.

• Identify chemoreceptor function by evaluating sensory and behavioral deficits in flies with genetic alterations in chemosensory genes of interest.

The control of food intake - in terms of both quality and quantity - is important for health and survival. We study how feeding behavior is regulated in D. melanogaster. We are particularly interested in functions of taste neurons in the pharynx, which is located in the food canal and plays a vital role in controlling both food choice and food intake. To understand pharyngeal receptors, neurons and circuits that control feeding, we aim to:

• Define taste cell types in the pharynx.

• Identify the functions of pharyngeal chemoreceptors using genetic analyses.

• Determine the sensory responses and behavioral activities of selected classes of pharyngeal taste neurons.

• Determine how combinations of classes of pharyngeal taste neurons act to drive behavioral outcomes.

•  Investigate circuits that process pharyngeal taste.

We are interested in evolution of the taste system as a means to understanding genetic mechanisms underlying behavioral adaptation. Closely related drosophilids offer a powerful system for this purpose. Towards this goal, we aim to perform comparative analysis of:

• Taste sensory responses of closely related species of Drosophila, including generalists and specialists.

• Cell type identity and organization in various Drosophila species.

• Chemoreceptor expression in various Drosophila species.

• Behavioral responses of various species of Drosophila.

We also investigate the genetic basis of taste evolution using genome-editing and transgenic approaches.

Mosquito feeding on human hosts is directly linked to pathogen transmission and an enormous health burden. Mosquitoes rely on visual, thermal and olfactory cues to locate human hosts from a distance. Upon landing on human skin, a mosquito can use its taste system to make biting and feeding decisions. We are interested in understanding the mosquito taste system and how it impacts mosquito-human interactions. To this end, we aim to:

• Define the functional organization of the mosquito taste system.

• Identify taste cellular and behavioral responses of mosquitoes to non-volatile compounds associated with human hosts.

• Perform comparative analysis of the taste sensory and behavioral responses in evolutionarily separated anthropophlic mosquitoes. 

• Study the molecular and cellular mechanisms that control sugar-feeding behaviors in mosquitoes.

• Investigate the molecular and cellular mechanisms that control destination of suagr and blood meals in mosquitoes.