1987 — University of Georgia, Ph.D. Entomology, Athens, Georgia

1982 — Southern Illinois Univ., M.A. Zoology, Carbondale, Illinois

1979 — Southern Illinois Univ., B.S. Zoology, Carbondale, Illinois

CURRENT RESEARCH INTERESTS

Suborganismal biology of insect/pathogen interactions. My lab focuses on the interactions between malaria parasites and the mosquitoes that transmit them. In particular, we study how the mosquito defends itself against malaria parasites and how the parasites evade these responses. These studies use the Anopheles gambiae/Plasmodium berghei system as a model but we are also collaborating with Mahidol University in Thailand to examine Anopheles dirus/Plasmodium falciparum interactions using the same techniques. The long-term goal is to manipulate these interactions to block or reduce the transmission of parasites. (click for more information)

Integrated mosquito management. Mosquito control occurs at many levels, from individual actions to city, state and federally funded education and control programs. We are targeting two important areas in Wisconsin: 1) the efficacy of home-based methods and 2) the extent and management of West Nile virus vector breeding sites in southern Wisconsin.

The general public has access to a wide range of methods that claim to reduce the annoyance of mosquito bites, including personal repellents, candles and plants, carbon-dioxide baited traps, and sonic/electronic devices. Because it is not always clear whether these actually work and because some of the traps are very expensive, we are testing whether these remedies work on the human-biting mosquitoes that occur in Wisconsin. See this website for a science-based summary of the effectiveness of many of these methods. (Click here for the Integrated Mosquito Management site)

We also work with Environmental Health specialists in the City of Madison to survey local mosquito communities and to test whether current control strategies can be augmented or improved. This work is focused on assessing the ecological conditions that provide good breeding sites and on using a natural control agent (fathead minnows) to supplement traditional control measures in areas where they haven’t worked well.

Biology of West Nile virus in Wisconsin. This project is focused on identifying mosquitoes that can transmit WNV in southern Wisconsin and investigating key biological features including host feeding preference and temporal profiles of peak biting times. (click for more information)

For information about undergraduate, graduate or postdoctoral training and employment (technical) opportunities with Dr. Paskewitz’s group, see Training/Employment opportunitites.

ASSOCIATES AND FRIENDS (2007)

ASSOCIATES (2005)

Andreeva, Olga (Research Specialist) Li, Bin (Research Assocaite) Radtke, Andrea (Research Assistant) Schadd, Beth (Research Specialist) Shi, Lei (Research Scientist) Sriwichai, Patchara (Royal Golden Jubilee Fellow) Walker, Ellie (Research Assistant)

ADDRESS

University of Wisconsin-Madison
Department of Entomology
1630 Linden Drive
Madison, Wisconsin 53706
U.S.A.

Phone: (608) 262-1269
Fax: (608) 262-3322
E-mail: paskewit@entomology.wisc.edu