This research investigates how ethanol improves the fitness of sterilized male mosquitoes used in the Sterile Insect Technique. By examining behavioral and genetic responses to radiation, the work aims to optimize mosquito population control strategies and reduce the spread of mosquito-borne diseases worldwide.

This talk explains how devastating brain diseases such as Parkinson’s disease and dementia may begin not in the brain, but in the gut. The speaker describes how a protein called alpha-synuclein can change shape, form toxic complexes, and spread from cell to cell, traveling from the gut to the brain via neural connections. Once in the brain, these toxic complexes disrupt movement, memory, and thinking. The research identifies a key protein, FABP2, that promotes this harmful process by interacting with alpha-synuclein. By targeting and breaking this interaction early—at the level of the gut—the work aims to prevent neurodegenerative disease before irreversible brain damage occurs, potentially reducing patient suffering as well as medical and societal costs.

Type 1 diabetes affects millions worldwide and often begins in childhood, with no cure or prevention. This research uses early-life blood samples and single-cell immune profiling to identify genetic changes in immune cells before disease onset. The findings reveal new biomarkers that could enable early detection, targeted therapies, and future disease prevention.

Type 1 diabetes occurs when the immune system mistakenly destroys insulin-producing cells. This research shifts focus from disease-causing genes to protective genes found in rare individuals. By examining the first immune–pancreas interaction at the atomic level, it reveals how protection rewires immune responses and offers new paths to preventing the disease.

This research investigates how avian metapneumovirus spreads in poultry facilities and tests far-UVC light as a safe disinfection strategy. By studying viral survival on surfaces and in air, the work aims to prevent costly outbreaks, protect animal welfare, and reduce risks to human health through a One Health approach.

This research uses harmless insect-specific viruses to block mosquitoes from becoming infected with dangerous human viruses like dengue or Zika. Through superinfection exclusion, an already-infected mosquito can’t host a second virus. The work explores releasing “pre-infected” mosquitoes as a safe, sustainable method to prevent disease transmission globally.