Our LAb

The Grozinger lab research program consists of two main areas of study, which examine the mechanisms underlying social behavior and health in honey bees and related species.  Our studies on social behavior seek to elucidate the proximate and ultimate mechanisms that regulate behavioral variation and plasticity in insect societies, in particular focusing on complex chemical communication systems.  Our studies on bee health examine how biotic and abiotic stressors impact the individual at the molecular, physiological and behavioral level, how these individual effects lead to colony-level changes, and how responses to these stressors can be modulated by social and environmental contexts.  We use an integrative approach encompassing genomics, epigenetics, physiology, neurobiology, behavior, chemical ecology, and ecology.  

Our lab is part of Penn State's Center for Pollinator Research, which brings together researchers, educators, and extension specialists from across the University to address issues related to pollinator health and conservation.