My lab uses an integrative approach to investigate the mechanistic basis of environmental stress tolerance in insects. Environmental stress comes in many forms, and it is a major determinant of species range and pest abundance. Invasive species’ distributions are largely determined by stress tolerance, and insect responses to climate change are dependent on their ability to adapt to new stresses. We employ a combination of organismal physiology, genetics, and “omics” to investigate the cellular and molecular mechanisms that allow insects to tolerate adverse conditions. Much of our research focuses on overwintering stress, both in temperate species and species from extreme environments like Antarctica. Long-term applications of our work include: 1) the ability to manipulate the overwintering success and field performance of beneficial insects, and 2) using insights from freeze-tolerant insects to develop new strategies for human organ cryopreservation.
