The alcaloids are natural sustances present in some medicinal and toxic plants, and in most addictive drugs as nicotine, cafeine, morfin, cocaine and others.  

IBE Researchers from " Evolutionary and Population Genomics Lab", Directed by Arcadi Navarro, and Researchers from "Evolutive Genomics Unit" at Principe Felipe Research Center in Valencia and the University of Buenos Aires (Argentina) have started a joint project called "Genomics and Transcriptomics of detoxification rutes in Drosophila", with the objective of unraveling the genetic pathways responsible for the adaptation and tolerance of some flyes to natural toxics.

Work will combine Genomic and transcriptomic techniques, place Evolution and Bioinformatics and will be endured on  Drosophila buzzatii  and de Drosophila koepferae, both close relatives of well known Drosophila melanogaster. A classical specie in genetic studies.  Drosophila buzzatii and  Drosophila koepferae present  high resistancy to alcaloids as the grow in descomposition cactus leaves with high levels of those substances.

IBE reserachers will be in charge of bioinformatics and statistical analysis of the results.