Kaya-Zeeb, Sinan

The western honeybee (Apis mellifera) has due to her thermoregulatory capabilities the possibility to adapt to a wide variety of climatic conditions. Thus, this species can be found almost everywhere in Europe and Africa. The thermo regulatory abilities includes the production of heat via muscle shivering (thermogenesis). This exciting behavior is essential for honey bees and allows them to warm their brood and to survive during the winter.

The focus of my research lies on the investigation of the role of biogenic amines and their specific receptors in the honeybee heat production. Their physiological importance for thermogenesis has not been investigated so far. For these investigations I would like to take advantage of the knowledge and skills I have acquired during my studies of pharmacy and biology. I want to apply a wide range of different techniques from pharmaceutical and instrumental chemistry (e.g. HPLC), immunohistochemistry (e.g. antibody staining), molecular biology (e.g. qRT-PCR), and behavioral pharmacology (including thermography).

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