Meg Younger

Meg Younger serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at Boston University, where her research investigates mosquito olfaction mechanisms and human scent attraction patterns.

Her primary research domains include:

• Neuroscience of insect olfaction
• Chemosensory processing in Aedes aegypti
• Developmental changes in human odor profiles
• Molecular basis of mosquito-host interactions
• Behavioral neurobiology of vector attraction

Dr. Younger's laboratory employs integrated methodologies from cell biology, analytical chemistry, and neuroimaging to map neuronal responses to infant versus adult human odors, with the goal of developing targeted repellents for vulnerable pediatric populations. Her innovative approach earned her the 2024 Pew Biomedical Scholar award.

Her scientific contributions focus on translating basic olfactory research into practical disease prevention strategies against dengue and malaria. The Younger Laboratory utilizes cutting-edge techniques including calcium imaging, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and behavioral assays to dissect mosquito attraction mechanisms.