Dr. Ian W. Keesey

Meet Ian

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I have recently joined the team at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln (UNL), within the School of Biological Sciences (SBS), as an Assistant Professor in Behavioral Neurobiology.

My research efforts cover several overlapping topics, but I will just highlight a few here:

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• Ecology, Evolution and Behavior (EEB)

• Neuroethology and Comparative Neuroscience

• Sensory Systems and Animal Communication

• Chemical Ecology & Pheromone Biology

• Insect-microbe interactions (both good and bad)

In general, I have been pursuing projects related to the evolution of dozens of different species within the genus Drosophila, with a special emphasis on visual and olfactory signal reception. A pivotal question in neuroscience focuses on how the morphology and structure of the nervous system relates to its function and thereby its behavioral relevance. Neuroscience in general utilizes a wide array of techniques, including both genetics and neuroanatomical imaging, in order to unravel neural mechanisms underlying animal behavior and to understand how these circuits translate into natural behaviors. Here we are studying of wide range of behaviors (e.g. host or mate selection) that are associated with an animal’s specific ecological niche, moreover, how each individual species is optimizing its brain and body to maximize its relative success.​

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Our new group also examines several other arthropods, and uses cutting edge laboratory techniques to better understand the natural behaviors of animals observed in the wild.