Canadian Research Chair in Parasitology and Vectors of Disease

My current work focuses on determining the potential fitness costs associated with an immune response in the mosquito Aedes aegypti. Using RNAi we have knoked down several antimicrobial peptides, after which we infected the insects with bacteria. We are then monitoring longevity and reproductive output to evaluate if there are fitness costs associated.


rursicbe@sfu.ca

Definning the modes of actions of plant derived compounds using electrophysiological and biochemical methods. Under this I evaluate the toxicity of 17 different plant essental compounds to A. aegypti larvae and selected 5 candidate compunds for modes of action studies. This is important to screen the natural compounds with high toxicities for pest management programs.


rwaliwit@sfu.ca

Insect immunity, hemocytes, biocontrol of insects, entomopathogenic fungi and bacteria.


jericsso@sfu.ca

I am working on the expression of antimicrobial proteins and the subsequent assessment of their antimicrobial activity. Moreover, I am looking into the expression profile of a peritrophic matrix protein from Aedes aegypti.


jbuchhop@sfu.ca