First name,Last name,Preferred title,Overview,Position,Department,Individual
Patricia,Pietrantonio,Professor and Texas AgriLife Research Fellow,"We work with important pests that are critical to Texas and the world focusing on public and animal health and on pests of cotton. We are interested in elucidating the functions of arthropod neuropeptides that signal through G protein-coupled receptors. Many of these neuropeptides are pleiotropic and many of their multiple functions are still unknown. We utilize loss-of-function experiments through RNAi, peptidomimetics, the discovery of antagonists through target-based high-throughput screening of small molecules on recombinant receptors expressed in mammalian cells, immunohistochemistry, and develop physiological in vitro and in vivo assays towards advancing arthropod endocrinology. The laboratory has pioneered the discovery of the first neuropeptide receptor in the Acari and the first insect prostaglandin receptor. The molecular and cell culture laboratories are BL2 and the Insect toxicology laboratory is BL1. We use state-of-the-art technologies and the lab is well equipped to do almost everything in-house.",Professor,Entomology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n0555af9d
Edward,Vargo,Professor,"We use molecular genetic tools, primarily microsatellite markers and mtDNA sequence data, to conduct basic and applied studies of termites and other insect pests of human structures. Our work on termites encompasses the breeding structure of colonies, colony and population genetic structure, invasion biology, foraging areas, colony densities and population dynamics. Research on other structural pests, mainly ants, cockroaches and bedbugs, focuses on population genetic structure, invasion biology, and dispersal.",Professor,Entomology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n3165cf9e
Micky,Eubanks,Professor,,Professor,Entomology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n40f09614
Phillip,Kaufman,Professor and Department Head,"My research program focuses on the development of new pest management tools for Florida's livestock operators. Beef cattle, dairy cattle and horses are the predominant livestock in Florida and are the focus of this program. Insecticide resistance and control failures are commonplace for many of the fly pests; therefore, innovative systems are needed to assist in their management. However, to successfully manage these pests, studies investigating their biology and ecology are needed.
The role that biological control can play in assisting with pest control is another research avenue. Producer pesticide selection and the resultant impacts on non-target, beneficial arthropods in grazing systems are of particular interest.",Professor and Department Head,Entomology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n44fc312d
Kevin,Myles,Professor,,Associate Professor,Entomology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n5d73717b
Raul,Medina,Professor,Dr. Medina's research centers around the role that ecological factors play in the population genetics of arthropods. He is particularly interested in the incorporation of evolutionary ecology considerations into pest control practices. His laboratory is currently assessing how species interactions at macroscopic (host-parasite interactions) and microscopic (arthropod microbiomes) levels interact with genetic variation of agricultural pests and arthropod vectors of human disease. His research team is exploring if the same principles governing insect herbivores' adaptation to their hosts translate into arthropod parasites of animals. He is also interested in understanding the factors that make some biotechnology innovations in agriculture controversial in the public sphere.,Professor,Entomology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n807b8d90
Julio,Bernal,Professor,"My research program focuses on contributing to the theory and practice of biological control of arthropod pests in managed ecosystems. Specifically, research has focused on ecology and behavior of natural enemies and pests via field and laboratory studies.",Professor,Entomology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n939f7165
Aaron,Tarone,Professor,"The Tarone laboratory is interested in factors that lead to local adaptations of fly development times and body sizes. These traits are influenced by numerous genetic and environmental factors. They are also ecologically important life history traits for any organism and are frequently found to be under differential selection across populations of numerous fly species. Accordingly, there are many applied and theoretical reasons for dissecting the causes of variation in these phenotypes in flies that influence human activities.",Professor,Entomology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nae6767b7
Giri,Athrey,Associate Professor,"The main focus of our lab is to address fundamental questions relevant to the genomic and functional basis of complex phenotypes. Research projects in our lab utilize field and experimental studies coupled with genomic and computational tools relevant to livestock improvement, vector-borne diseases, and the microbiome. The broader implications of our research include generating knowledge and innovative tools for improving animal, human, and environmental health.",Associate Department Head||Graduate Faculty||Associate Professor,Poultry Science||Poultry Science||Entomology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/naf83e19d
Gabriel,Hamer,Associate Professor,"Research in the Hamer Lab broadly investigates the ecology of infectious diseases of humans, wild animals, and domestic animals, with particular attention to those transmitted by arthropod vectors (e.g. mosquitoes, ticks, kissing bugs). We have focused primarily on vector-host interactions that lead to parasite amplification and increased disease risk. We utilize multidisciplinary tools to studying these complex disease systems, including molecular biology, landscape epidemiology, eco-immunology, and ecological modeling. A goal of our research is to elucidate mechanisms of transmission across space and time that facilitate ecological management of diseases with effective intervention and preventative strategies.",Assistant Professor,Entomology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nc1f3fc64
Anjel,Helms,Assistant Professor,"My current research is focused on understanding how chemical compounds mediate interactions among plants, insect herbivores, and herbivore natural enemies. More specifically, my lab is investigating how plants and insect herbivores use chemical information from their environment to assess their risk of attack.",Assistant Professor,Entomology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nc6106e75
Pete,Teel,Regents Professor,"Biology, ecology and management of ticks associated with humans, livestock, wildlife and companion animals.",Professor and Associate Department Head,Entomology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nc6ba6feb
Gregory,Sword,Professor,"I've been very fortunate to have studied many things in many places with many people. Much of my research to date has focused on the biology and ecology of grasshoppers, locusts and Mormon crickets. More recently, I've been given the chance to expand my research program to problems in cotton entomology. It's a pretty unique opportunity, and I am happy to say that the lab is up and running on multiple fronts. Although the emphasis has shifted to cotton research, locust biology and anything else that strikes an interest continues to be fair game in the lab.",Professor,Entomology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/ncf7fa344
Megha,Parajulee,"Professor, Faculty Fellow, and Regents Fellow",,Professor||Professor,Lubbock Research and Extension Center||Entomology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nd76fa3c8
Zachary,Adelman,Professor,,Associate Professor,Entomology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/ndc81a8e5
Cecilia,Tamborindeguy,Professor,"Our laboratory studies transmission of plant pathogens by insects. Research is aimed at understanding ecological and molecular aspects of plant-insect-pathogen interactions. We use Zebra Chip (ZC),an emergent disease affecting solanaceous plants, as model system. The causative agent, ""Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum"", is an alpha-proteobacterium vectored y the potato/tomato psyllid Bactericera cockerelli. We currently use genetic and biochemical approaches to investigate different aspects of pathogen transmission and the biology of the vector insect.",Professor,Entomology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/ne6e645ee
Jeffery,Tomberlin,Professor,"My areas of interest and expertise are the ecology and biology of flies associated with decomposing matter. Primarily, my research falls into two categories, 1) determine proper methods for suppressing fly populations associated with animal waste on confined animal facilities, 2) understanding the biology of insects that colonize human remains in order to assist law enforcement personnel in estimating the time of colonization of a corpse in order to provide a minimum postmortem interval.",Associate Professor,Entomology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/ne8fb4d5b
Hojun,Song,Associate Professor,"The Song Lab focuses on the study of an insect order Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets, and katydids) and other insects and aims at understanding behavioral, ecological, physiological, morphological and molecular evolution in a phylogenetic framework.",Associate Professor,Entomology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nf14bbe4a
Spencer,Behmer,Professor,,Professor,Entomology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nf4d10236
J,Johnston,Professor,"I estimate genome size for sequencing projects for a very wide range of vertebrates, invertebrates and plants..
I work on genome size evolution, & genomics.
My other areas of research include cytological, ecological and population genetics of arthropods.",Professor,Entomology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nfc3f68fb
Adela,Oliva Chavez,Assistant Professor,"My lab focuses on the molecular host-pathogen and vector-pathogen interactions. Vector-borne pathogens have evolved in close relationship with their vectors and hosts for thousands of years. Thus, they have acquired mechanisms to manipulate the cellular machinery of both, the vector and the mammalian host. I am interested in how vector-borne pathogens influence host and vector cellular responses, such as immune responses, cellular trafficking, and vesicle secretion.
We are also interested in how tick-borne pathogens sense environmental changes when moving between the vector and the mammalian host. Members of the Anaplasmataceae change their protein profile during their development within the mammalian host when compared to the vector. We want to use these bacteria as a model to understand what clues intracellular bacteria use to detect changes in environment. This knowledge could lead to development of interventions to disrupt the life cycle of tick-borne pathogens, and prevent disease in humans and animals.",Assistant Professor,Entomology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nfead5f34