Gene E. Robinson

Gene E. Robinson
Principal Investigator
Swanlund Chair
Professor of Entomology

Director, Neuroscience Program
Chair, Genomics of Neural and Behavioral Plasticity Theme, Institute for Genomic Biology

Curriculum Vitae (PDF)

Dr. Robinson studies mechanisms of behavior in social insects. The honey bee is the primary study organism because its rich social life is uniquely amenable to experimentation, a consequence of the many techniques available to alter precisely genetic, physiological, and environmental parameters.

Current research is focused on one aspect of colony organization, the division of labor among workers. Efforts in this area involve:

  • identifying behavioral, neural, endocrine, and molecular genetic mechanisms that regulate the activities of individual colony members; and then
  • determining the role these mechanisms play in integrating worker behavior into a cohesively functioning colony.

Neuroanatomical studies performed in collaboration with S.E. Fahrbach explore the role of brain plasticity in honey bee behavioral plasticity. We seek to understand complex social behavior from "society to gene."

http://www.genomenewsnetwork.org/articles/05_02/honeybee.shtml

Updated Tuesday, January 22nd, 2008
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The Robinson Laboratory
Department of Entomology
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
320 Morrill Hall, 505 South Goodwin Avenues
Urbana, IL 61801 USA