Researchers at Rockefeller University have published in Science the first chemical mechanism on how DEET, mosquito repellent, works on mosquito’s preventing them from biting humans. According to the paper DEET inhibits signals from the olfactory co-receptor  OR83b. This receptor responds to 1-octen-3-ol, a chemical secreted by humans. When DEET is sprayed on human skin it competitively binds to OR83b preventing the mosquito from detecting 1-octen-3-ol.

According to the Department of Health and Human Services DEET has a range of side effects on humans, from skin rashes and seizures to eight reported deaths since 1961. Due to these effects many people do not use DEET, even though mosquitoes carry a multitude of diseases which can be passed to humans. With this recent research, many home remedies such as Citronella, lemongrass, peppermint, eucalyptus, cedarwood, and garlic, can be tested and compared to DEET to see if they behave similarly and can be made into a commercial product. Biotech Mashup can not wait for the day that everyone is spreading peppermint garlic butter on their skins to prevent mosquito bites.