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WELCOME TO THE VICKERS LAB

Welcome to the homepage of the Vickers lab in the Department of Biology at the University of Utah. In broad terms, our focus is on understanding the neural basis of naturally-occurring behaviors otherwise known as neuroethology. Historically, the lab has investigated odor-mediated behaviors primarily in adult moths. Adult moths are highly dependent upon odors that they use in mate choice, feeding and egg-laying. Of particular interest is the communication that occurs between males and females. Since most moths are primarily nocturnal they are unable to locate suitable mates visually (as compared to their related counterparts, butterflies). Females emit tiny amounts of a blend of compounds from a specialized gland located at the tip of the abdomen called the pheromone gland. Males are highly sensitive to this blend and respond to it by flying upwind to locate the calling female. Males are able to discriminate the blend of females of their species (conspecifics) from the blends of closely related species. We study how the moth olfactory system is organized to detect, process and discriminate odor so that they can accomplish this vital task without error. For more detailed information on current projects please follow the link to our Projects page.

Dr. Vickers CV

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CURRENT PROJECTS

The above mentioned projects are funded by The National Science Foundation.

Neuroethology of olfactory divergence in moth species

Communication between individuals relies upon a ‘match’ between the signal emitted by the sender and the sensory capabilities of the receiver. One conundrum in the evolution of new signals is that changes in the signal may not be met by commensurate changes in the receiver. Under these conditions, communication is expected to be under strong stabilizing selection with new signals being selected against. However, in moth species, many of which use olfactory communication, it is clear that divergence of signals has occurred on a massive scale. The aim of this project has been to understand the genetic underpinnings of male behavioral responses and olfactory physiology in two closely related species of Heliothine moth, Heliothis virescens and Heliothis subflexa. These species utilize distinct pheromone blends but can be hybridized under laboratory conditions. This provides the opportunity to scrutinize the behavioral responses of hybrid and backcross males and characterize the odor blends to which they are attracted. Subsequently, we can examine the antennal and central olfactory pathways to determine their relationship with the behavior. In collaboration with Dr. Fred Gould‘s lab at North Carolina State University we have made advances in our understanding of the genetic control of some of the olfactory features that underlie male behavior.

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Antennal Imaginal Disc Transplants between two moth species

The adult moth antenna and central brain structure responsible for processing odor information are derived, during metamorphosis, from a patch of tissue known as the antennal imaginal disc. Imaginal discs also give rise to other adult insect structures such as legs, wings, eyes and genitalia.For several years, we have been engaged in a collaborative effort with Dr. Charlie Linn‘s group at Cornell University wherein the imaginal discs of two different moth species are transplanted and the effects on behavioral and olfactory neurobiology are examined. These transplants provide us with a mechanism to alter the eventual inputs to the adult brain. For example, an antennal imaginal disc taken from an H. virescens male is going to develop a certain repertoire of olfactory receptors – even if the disc is transplanted into a recipient that normally receives a completely different input.These experiments provide us with the ability to examine change the olfactory inputs to the brain and study their effects upon behavior and odor processing.

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OUR PEOPLE

NEIL VICKERS

PROFESSOR

I’m originally from the United Kingdom and obtained my B.Sc. (Hons.) at the Imperial College of Science and Technology, London. I came to the U.S. to work on my Ph.D. in the Department of Entomology at U.C. Riverside with Professor Tom Baker (currently at Penn State University) in 1988. For my doctoral dissertation I focused on the pheromone-mediated behavior of the moth, Heliothis virescens. Following completion of my Ph.D. I continued as a postdoctoral associate with Dr. Baker during which time his laboratory relocated to Iowa State University. In 1995, I moved to the University of Arizona to work with Drs. Tom Christensen and Dr. John Hildebrand in the Arizona Research Laboratories Division of Neurobiology (ARLDN). During a 4-year postdoctoral stint I learned the electrophysiological and neuroanatomical techniques for investigating the moth olfactory system. I have been a faculty member in the Department of Biology at the University of Utah since September 1998.  I served as Departmental Chair from January 2008 – July 2014.

Dr. Vickers CV