Expertise

Areas of specialty:

  • Insect biochemistry and molecular biology
  • Structure and function of hemolymph serine proteinases, proteinase inhibitors, and antimicrobial response proteins from insects
  • Biochemistry of the insect cuticle
  • Function of insect multicopper oxidases
  • Manduca sexta genome sequence

My laboratory is investigating proteins present in the hemolymph (blood) of insects, with special interest in the proteins' functions in the insect immune system. We are studying plasma proteins, including prophenoloxidase, serine proteases, protease inhibitors from the serpin superfamily, and proteins that bind to microbial polysaccharides.

Area(s) of Specialization:

  • Insect biochemistry and molecular biology. Structure and function of hemolymph serine proteinases, proteinase inhibitors, and antibacterial response proteins from insects. Biochemistry of insect cuticle sclerotization

Our laboratory studies innate immunity in insect model systems, with an emphasis on proteases (enzymes that digest other proteins) and their inhibitors that play an important role in protecting a cell from its own proteases.

We also investigate the biochemistry of cuticle proteins and their roles in determining mechanical properties of insect exoskeletons.


Research: Fundamental Insect Science


Research: Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics – Studies immunological mechanisms relevant to human cancers


Expertise: Studies biochemistry of innate immune responses in insects


Expertise:

  • Insect hemolymph proteins: biochemistry and molecular biology
  • Structure and function of serine proteinases, proteinase inhibitors, and antimicrobial response proteins from insect hemolymph
Communities
Biochemistry, Entomology, Biophysics, Cellular Biochemistry, Molecular Biochemistry, Physics
Degrees
PhD, Purdue University, Entomology, 1983
BS, Colorado State University, Zoology and Entomology, 1979
Keywords
molecular cloning escherichia coli biochemistry & molecular biology entomology electrophoresis polymerase chain reaction
Associations
American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Entomological Society of America