Talk:Leslie B. Vosshall

Proposals October 2022
This proposal includes improvements in citations to address the concerns of the maintenance tag on the homepage. I have a conflict of interest as I am paid consultant for WhiteHatWiki, which was hired by the Howard Hughes Institute, where the subject of the article works. Please let me know if I can be of any further help. First request: In the lead section, last sentence, beginning with “She is well known for her contributions to the field of [olfaction]...” please change the text: To: Vosshall, a member of the National Academy of Sciences, is known for her contributions to the field of olfaction, particularly for the discovery and subsequent characterization of the insect olfactory receptor family, and the genetic basis of chemosensory behavior in mosquitoes. And: She has also extended her research into the study of human olfaction, revealing parts of human genetic olfactory architecture, and finding variations in odorant receptors that determine individuals’ abilities to detect odors. Reason': The existing source is from her own institution and is used to support an evaluative statement. The first new source, by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, is one of the three most cited scientific journals, as of 2020. Revisions add that she is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, since this is among the most prestigious honors in the sciences. It changes “well known” to “known” for neutral phrasing. The second source, Nature (journal), is also one of the three most cited scientific journals, as of 2020.. Second request: In the “Research” section, the first sentence, beginning with "The Vosshall lab uses three model organisms...", please change the text: To: Vosshall’s laboratory studies three organisms: fruit flies, mosquitoes and humans, to understand the genetic and molecular underpinnings, as well as behavioral mechanisms, involved in olfaction and feeding behavior. Reason': The existing source (a dead URL actually found at: https://www.rdworldonline.com/kavli-foundation-university-partners-commit-100-million-to-brain-research/) doesn’t fully support the statement (i.e. does not mention her study of humans or the division of work in her lab) and is not as strong a source as the suggested replacement, Current Biology, a leading scientific journal that is part of the Cell (journal) family of publications. I relied only on the introductory paragraph of the journal article – not the Q&A portion. And I modified the sentence to reflect the description in Cell Biology of her work, which is more precise. Third request: Please replace text and the citation in the “Research” section, second sentence, beginning with “In addition, the Vosshall lab studies the genetic…”: To: In addition, to find the genes that make the mosquito species Aedes aegypti prefer humans, Vosshall compares genes that drive host-seeking and blood-seeking behaviors in several different mosquito subspecies. Reason': The existing citation was from a non-neutral source close to the subject. The new source is a stronger source, and the new text and sentence accurately reflect what is supported in that source. Fourth request: Please insert the following sentence into the “Research" section as the third sentence: To: Vosshall’s and her associates’ research on Aedes aegypti, the mosquito responsible for transmitting yellow fever, dengue, and Zika, found that it has a particular odor-detecting gene (AaegOr4) that is highly attuned to sulcatone, a compound predominant in human odor. Reason: This new text highlights how the mosquito species on which Vosshall focuses much of her research causes severe diseases in humans, and whose specific attraction to human hosts is in part explainable by a genetic factor Vosshall's research discovered. In addition to the secondary reliable sources fully supporting these statements, I have included the related peer-reviewed journal article co-authored by Vosshall for researchers who might be interested. Fifth request:' In the “Research” section, in the current third sentence, beginning: “Research from Vosshall’s lab demonstrated that a chemical transferred from male to female…”, please replace the citation but leave the language alone. To: Research from Vosshall’s lab demonstrated that a chemical transferred from the male of the species during sex plays a key role in shaping the female’s sexual proclivities. Reason': The existing source is too close to the subject, reproducing an article from one of the subject’s own institutions. The new sources are reliable and fully support the sentence’s content. Sixth request: Please remove from the “Research” section the current fourth sentence: The Vosshall lab discovered that the domestic form of the mosquito Aedes Aegypti has increased attraction to humans due to higher expression of odorant receptor AaegOr4. Why?: The content of the sentence is represented in the sentence to be inserted in the fourth request, thus making the existing sentence redundant. Seventh request: In the “Research” section, please replace the last sentence, beginning with “In addition, work from the Vosshall lab led to the discovery that ORCO…”: To: In addition, Vosshall and her associates discovered ORCO, a mosquito co-receptor responsible for preference for humans over non-human animals and sensitivity to insect-repellent DEET. Reason': Adds a secondary source supporting this research finding. I left the primary source, a paper co-authored by Vosshall, should researchers want to find it. Eighth request: Please remove the maintenance tag on the homepage. The problems with independent sourcing should all be resolved. Thank you for considering these proposals. W12SW77 (talk) 21:28, 12 October 2022 (UTC) W12SW77 (talk) 21:28, 12 October 2022 (UTC)


 * I've made all of the above changes. Let me know, on this page, if any further changes are required / if I got any of the instructions wrong. Thank you for taking this approach, and for the very clear layout of the proposed changes, above. --Tagishsimon (talk) 23:00, 12 October 2022 (UTC)