Richard Axel Research Group

Columbia University

How does the olfactory system translate odor molecule detection into a stable neural representation of odor quality? The lab maps odorant receptor gene expression patterns and combines them with electrophysiology to define the logic of olfactory discrimination. Researchers show individual olfactory sensory neurons express only one receptor gene and project their axons to defined glomeruli, producing spatial patterns of activity in the olfactory bulb. The group uses molecular genetics and gene transfer methods to isolate and analyze receptor genes and signaling cascades to study receptor function in sensory circuits. Current work centers on how odor recognition is translated into an internal representation of sensory quality that guides behavior.