About the Brown Lab

We work at the intersection of basic and applied science. We examine insect flight behaviors in response to odors in both laboratory and field settings. Our current efforts are focused on understanding how insects navigate towards potential mates or other resources (e.g. female mosquitoes to potential hosts for a blood meal; male moths to females for mating). We focus on agriculturally important moth species and mosquitoes that pose a health threat to humans (by transmitting viruses or other pathogens). We also study how smells are detected and processed by the insect brain. Our goal is to acquire fundamental knowledge that may be useful in addressing the impact of insects on food and health (moths on agriculture and mosquitoes that vector human diseases). Our research involves robust collaborations between scientists, engineers, and mosquito control organizations.