chemical ecology | College of Biological Sciences

The Scent of a Mate: Seabird Study Provides Insights into Sexual Selection

A new study appearing in Molecular Ecology delves into the sexual selection behaviors of Leach's storm-petrels, a seabird that may be able to sniff out a suitable mate.

Ecology & Environment

Ian Haydon, ’12 B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Science Communications Manager at the Institute for Protein Design

Ian Haydon’s entrance into science writing occurred in whirlwind fashion. As a graduate student, he was intent on obtaining a Ph.D. but also knew he was more interested in careers outside of academic research. He then found science writing.

Human & Animal Health

Discovering Curiosity: The Buggy Scent of Desire with Distinguished Professor Walter Leal

To inform pest management techniques and fight threats like Citrus Greening disease, Walter Leal and his colleagues use reverse chemical ecology to identify sex pheromones in insects. From Brazil to Japan to Davis, Calif., Leal's research path has been unique.

Ecology & Environment

The Repellence Cocktail: Mosquito Sense of Smell Reveals More Mysteries

While we know certain plant-derived compounds act as insect repellents, much of the molecular science behind insect olfaction remains a mystery. In a study published in iScience, UC Davis researchers exposed further layers of complexity in the mosquito olfactory system.

Human & Animal Health

DEET Beats Clove-based Mosquito Repellent on Performance and Price

Kaiming Tan, an undergraduate working with Professor Walter Leal at the UC Davis Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, recently put a home-brewed clove repellent to the test against DEET. Their paper was just published in PLOS One.

Human & Animal Health