Karen Menuz

Karen Menuz is an Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Physiology and Neurobiology at the University of Connecticut. She holds a Ph.D. from UC San Francisco. Her research focuses on understanding the mechanisms underlying odor-driven behaviors in insects, particularly using the fruit fly Drosophila as a model. Key areas include the molecular and cellular environments influencing olfactory neuron activity, with implications for insect vectors of human disease.

Dr. Menuz’s laboratory employs advanced genetic tools to identify conserved molecules and mechanisms in the insect olfactory system. Her work bridges molecular biology, neurophysiology, and evolutionary biology, emphasizing how cellular interactions shape sensory responses. Recent studies explore co-receptor roles in odorant detection, chemoreceptor expression patterns, and the evolutionary adaptability of olfactory circuits.

She actively seeks graduate students and postdoctoral researchers interested in sensory neuroscience, cellular physiology, and molecular mechanisms of olfaction. Her lab’s findings contribute to understanding disease vector biology and potential strategies to disrupt harmful insect behaviors.