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Biomedical Research with Honey Bees

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Sourcebook of Models for Biomedical Research

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Abstract

In addition to the economic benefits honey bees provide through pollination and honey production, this species is an important model system that provides insight into many areas of biomedical science. With a long history as a subject of studies of social behavior, learning and memory, and immunology (due to the allergens in their venom), the honey bee is emerging as a major model for phenotypic plasticity, development and aging, circadian rhythms, muscle metabolism and behavioral genomics. Sequencing of the honey bee genome revealed that honey bees share many genes and biochemical pathways with humans, thus opening new avenues of research. Biomedical research with honey bees benefits from this species’ well known physiology, the tractability of its natural behaviors both in and out of the laboratory, a fully sequenced genome with accompanying suite of cellular and molecular tools, and a large interactive community of basic and applied researchers. Only Drosophila rivals the honey bee as an insect model system for biomedical research.

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  1. School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV

    Michelle M. Elekonich PhD

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  1. Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR

    P. Michael Conn PhD (Associate Director and Senior Scientist, Professor of Physiology and Pharmacology, Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology) (Associate Director and Senior Scientist, Professor of Physiology and Pharmacology, Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology)

  2. Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR

    P. Michael Conn PhD (Associate Director and Senior Scientist, Professor of Physiology and Pharmacology, Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology) (Associate Director and Senior Scientist, Professor of Physiology and Pharmacology, Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology)

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Elekonich, M.M. (2008). Biomedical Research with Honey Bees. In: Conn, P.M. (eds) Sourcebook of Models for Biomedical Research. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59745-285-4_16

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