This week we are outfitting the chemical ecology facility adjacent to the NICE lab for thermal desorption and gas chromatography- mass spectrometry. 

Today, thanks to doctoral student Cheyenne Tait,  we successfully visualized synaptic activity in the apple fly brain in real time for the first time with our new optical imaging system!



The NICE Group is proud to welcome Cheyenne Tait and Dr. VS Pragadheesh!  Cheyenne will be examining the chemosensory basis for host shifts in Rhagoletis, and Dr. Pragadheesh will be helping us analyze the chemical signals that underlie complex odor object recognition in several systems. A Warm Welcome to you both!

Having dinner with Chemical Ecology friends from 4 continents at the Krishnan School at NCBS!

We are pleased to be currently co-organizing the KS Krishnan School for chemical ecology at NCBS:

https://www.ncbs.res.in/ChemicalEcology/SERB-school-2015

Today Shannon had the opportunity to personally discuss the biodiversity and amazing opportunities for chemical ecology here in India with the Honorable Prime Minister Modi.  Thank you, sir for kindly listening to me and for taking the amazing possibilities for Indian chemical ecology to heart.

The NICE lab is very pleased to welcome Sree Subha Ramaswamy, who is completing her Masters project with us from SASTRA University, Thanjavur for the next months.

Subha is currently comparing neuromodulator levels in several species of Tephtitid flies.  She has already perfected isolating the fly brain, which at <1mm, is no small task!

Welcome , aboard, Subha!