Events

Event Description

Please join the Biology Department for a candidate talk by Robert Driver.

Evolution and functional characterization of olfactory receptors in birds

An incredible variety of chemicals are perceived as smell by animals. To detect this vast range of volatiles, odorant receptors (ORs) have diversified into one of the largest gene families in vertebrates; for example, many mammals have over 1,000 OR genes. Birds, with over 10,000 extant species, inhabit nearly all land environments and exhibit diverse breeding and foraging behaviors yet were long thought to make limited use of olfactory signals. Here, we use genomic and molecular approaches to demonstrate the relevance of the bird olfactory system. We show that, like mammals, bird genomes often contain hundreds – or in some cases, thousands – of intact ORs, including the nocturnal kiwi (Apteryx manetllii), which possesses the largest number of ORs known from any animal. We show that bird ORs are expressed in olfactory sensory neurons and respond to specific odors. We also show that exposure to odors causes birds olfactory sensory neurons to activate, further supporting that birds have a functional sense of smell with potential relevance to behavior and ecology. Our results challenge prior assumptions and underscore the importance of olfaction in the life history of birds.

Robert Driver received his B.S. in Biology from Muhlenberg College and his M.S. degree in Biology from Villanova University. Robert then received his PhD in Biology from East Carolina University in 2022. In 2023, Robert started as a National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Biology in the Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology at Duke University, in the lab of Dr. Hiroaki Matsunami, where he researches bird olfactory receptors and bird's sense of smell. In the scientific community, Robert continues to lead the American Ornithological Society’s efforts to change harmful English bird names.