Contact Information
(267) 519-4852
Ginny Cruz
Research Associate
Education
Ph.D., Physiology and Biophysics; University of Miami
Research Summary
My current research is focused on experimental studies of odor mixture interactions, in particular, on olfactory adaptation and odor masking. We apply and develop fluorescence imaging techniques on an intact animal to discern the types of interactions at work among populations of neurons in the olfactory bulb. To better understand these physiological interactions, we will combine experiment with theory by making computer models of plausible mechanisms at the cellular level.
Understanding the mechanisms of odor mixture interactions may yield important insights into such fundamental problems as how we discriminate between different odors, or how we learn to perceive new odorant qualities. In practice, this research may guide the search or synthesis of chemicals that might be used to mask unpleasant smells, or to enhance fragrances. Ultimately, it would be of interest to understand how such interactions might go awry within the context of developmental abnormalities, including neurodegenerative disease, in which the olfactory system appears to play a critical role.
Keywords
olfaction, optical imaging, neurophysiology, odor masking, adaptation, cross-adaptation, olfactory bulb, fluorescence imaging,
computational modeling
