From November 3 to 30, 2024, the scientific training of the project leader Dr. Vitanović for work on the GC-EAD device was carried out at the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at UC Davis in the USA under the direction of Dr. Leal. As part of the same training, the project leader mastered various techniques for preparing insect antennae to analyze their stimuli for volatile compounds. Scientific training program:

Week 1: Introduction to the equipment and work in the Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Biology, introduction to the GC-EAD device and all the equipment needed to work with it, introduction to different types of electrodes, micropipettes and their preparation and use for the study of insects with EAD,

Week 2: Introduction to and work with different techniques and methods for connecting insect antennas to obtain signals as stimuli for semiochemicals,

Week 3: Introduction to and work with different techniques and methods for connecting the antennae of adult male and female olive fruit flies to develop a protocol for recording the electroantennographic response of olive fruit flies to volatile compounds,

Week 4: Work on the determination of signals in males and females, introduction to the operation of the GC-EAD device software and introduction to data processing for reading and displaying the test results.

Dr. Leal and Dr. Vitanović also developed a new protocol for recording the electroanthenographic response of the olive fly to the volatile compounds of two types of modified waste brewer’s yeast (Saccharomyces pastorianus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae).

PhD student Luka Čotić (DOK-NPOO-2023-10-7422) also had the opportunity to participate in the training. He also learned the techniques for preparing insect antennae for analyzing their stimuli for volatile compounds.