Research Program
My primary area of research interest is arthropod-transmitted viruses (arboviruses) and the diseases they cause. I study two arbovirus systems:
AVIAN -CIMICID BUG-ALPHAVIRUS SYSTEM I study viral dynamics in a unique insect vector, the swallow bug, and its avian hosts (cliff swallows and house sparrows). This is an important system to study because it informs us about year-round viral persistence in insect vectors (a poorly understood phenomena), and also provides information about a potential new insect vector family (Cimicidae, same family as the human bed bug). HONEY BEE-VARROA MITE-VIRUS SYSTEM European honey bees, Apis mellifera, enhance agricultural production by providing an abundance of pollination services to both agricultural crops and wild plants. These significant pollinators are experiencing global population decline, with millions of colonies lost globally each year. One of the largest contributing factors to colony death is the ectoparasitic mite, Varroa destructor (varroa mite). V. destructor enhances and transmits viruses to the European honey bees, ultimately contributing to their decline. Without information on honey bee-viral dynamics, effective disease reduction practices or virus control strategies cannot be developed. The purpose of this project is to determine the effects of viral infections on honey bee physiology and behavior in order to better understand how viruses may contribute to colony loss, and potentially use the information to better predict colony loss events. Goals of my research program: 1. To contribute to the field of arbovirology by increasing our basic understanding of the interplay among host and vector physiology, viral replication, and environmental effects on these complex disease systems 2. To apply the information learned about disease processes to the broader field of disease emergence to allow for more accurate predictions of disease emergence threats and risk mitigation strategies. |