Wendy Valencia-Montoya

I am an evolutionary biologist investigating the molecular basis of specialized species interactions. My research explores how signals and senses evolve to enable communication between organisms. In turn, understanding communication helps address a core problem in biology: the evolution of complexity. I also study the molecular pathways that confer resistance in species that have adapted to feed on highly neurotoxic plants, leveraging evolutionary insights to inspire biomedical innovation. My work integrates genomics, physiology, and fieldwork, bridging levels of organization from molecular mechanisms to the complexity and wonder of behaviors.