Departmental Affiliations
Center & Institute Affiliations
Conor McMeniman, PhD, studies the molecular and cellular basis of mosquito attraction to humans.
Contact Info
Research Interests
malaria; dengue; Anopheles gambiae; Aedes aegypti; genome-editing; chemosensation; olfaction; neurogenetics; neurobiology; neural circuits; vector behavior; host-pathogen interactions; microbiome
Additional Links
Experiences & Accomplishments
The African malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae and yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti are dangerous vectors for blood-borne diseases, such as malaria and dengue because of an innate preference of these mosquito species to blood-feed on humans. Mosquitoes are largely thought to target humans using their keen sense of smell. Given this relationship, identifying the chemosensory cues and neural circuits that act in concert to guide these mosquito species toward humans may help to devise powerful strategies that halt pathogen transmission.
In the McMeniman lab, we employ integrative approaches including analytical chemistry, genome engineering and functional imaging to elucidate how human scent is detected by the mosquito nervous system, and how this olfactory percept is altered by changes in internal physiological state during pathogen infection.
By studying the chemistry of human scent and how the mosquito nervous system detects it, our research aims to provide a global view of the odors, genes, and neural circuits that allow mosquitoes to find humans. We aim to develop innovative strategies which lure or repel these mosquitoes, and other anthropophilic disease vectors, away from humans to stop them transmitting vector-borne diseases.
Select Publications
Selected publications from the last 10 years:
Shankar S, Giraldo D, Tauxe GM, Spikol ED, Li M, Akbari OS, Wohl MP, McMeniman CJ. (2025) Optimized genetic tools for neuroanatomical and functional mapping of the Aedes aegypti olfactory system. G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics doi: 10.1093/g3journal/jkae307
Amaro IA, Wohl MP, Pitcher S, Alfonso-Parra C, Avila FW, Paige AS, Helinski M, Duvall LB, Harrington LC, Wolfner MF, McMeniman CJ. (2024) Sex peptide receptor is not required for refractoriness to remating or induction of egg laying in Aedes aegypti. Genetics 227(1): iyae034.
Giraldo D, Hammond AM, Wu J, Feole B, Al-Saloum N, McMeniman CJ. (2024) An expanded neurogenetic toolkit to decode Anopheles gambiae olfaction. Cell Reports Methods 4(2):100714.
Giraldo D, Rankin-Turner S, Corver A, Tauxe GM, Gao AL, Jackson DM, Simubali L, Book C, Stevenson JC, Thuma PE, McCoy RC, Gordus A, Mburu MM, Simulundu E, McMeniman CJ. (2023) Human scent guides mosquito thermotaxis and host selection under naturalistic conditions. Curr Biol 33:2367-2382.
Rankin-Turner S, McMeniman CJ. (2022) A headspace collection chamber for whole body volatilomics. Analyst 147: 5210-5222