Category Archives: NCSU

HDAC4 is essential for memory in Drosophila and mammals. The current issue of Genetics features our paper showing that HDAC4 interacts with  Ubc9, the sole SUMO E2-conjugating enzyme, during memory formation (web). This study should open new avenues for research on how long … Continue reading →

BMC Biotechnology recently published our paper that is the first report of transgenic L. sericata that express and secrete a human growth factor. Sterile L. sericata maggots are approved for debridement of wounds. The maggots clean the wound and inhibit … Continue reading →

Sophia’s work on gene drive in Aedes aegypti was covered by the local abc news station web: The clip also shows Esther injecting Lucilia embryos and some transgenic Lucilia larvae.

Our work describing the use of CRISPR/Cas9 to obtain loss of function mutations in the Drosophila suzukii white and Sex lethal (Sxl) genes was recently published in BBRC (web). Males homozygous for white mutations developed white eyes. G0 females carrying mutations in the … Continue reading →

Megan is a first year student in the Genetics PhD program and recently joined the lab. She will be working on developing male-only strains of L. cuprina with future application to C. hominivorax. Welcome Megan! .

Mary Hester recently joined the lab as a part-time technician to assist with blowfly and mosquito rearing. Mary previously worked in the lab as an undergrad lab assistant. Laci Bowes also recently joined the lab as a part-time undergrad lab assistant … Continue reading →

Sophia’s team won their debate and the overall first place in the student debates at the recent annual ESA meeting. Johanna Elsensohn and Jen Baltzegar were also part of the team from the NCSU entomology dept. Their debate topic was: “With … Continue reading →

Male-only releases have several advantages for an SIT program. In 2014 we published a transgenic sexing system for Lucilia cuprina. Although the strains produced only males on diet that lacked tetracycline, females died at the pupal stage. This is not … Continue reading →

Lucilia cuprina has a large, heterochromatic X chromosome with few genes. In a study recently published in PLoS ONE, we found that endogenous genes on the X chromosome are dosage compensated, that is expressed equally in males and females. However, … Continue reading →

The USDA has announced a $6.7 million grant for research and education on spotted wing Drosophila. This multi-institutional, multi-investigator grant is being led by Hannah Burrack at NCSU. Our role in the grant is to further develop transgenic male-only strains … Continue reading →