CURRENT RESEARCH PROJECTS

project 1
How does type 2 diabetes impact malaria parasite development and transmission?

More than half of the world’s population is at risk for malaria, with over 200 million new infections occurring annually. Simultaneously, many malaria-endemic regions are facing dramatic increases in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes. By 2030, almost 24 million people in Africa, and 100 million people in Southeast Asia, are predicted to develop type 2 diabetes. The adoption of a more sedentary Western lifestyle, changes in diet, and genetic predispositions will accelerate this trend. As the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in malaria-endemic regions increases, it is imperative that we understand how this chronic metabolic disorder impacts the transmission of infectious diseases such as malaria. The goal of this project is to understand how type 2 diabetes alters the development and transmission of malaria parasites to mosquitoes. 

Project 2
Can hackathons be used as an educational and community building activity for college students?

In collaboration with Dr. Tandon, Dr. Gamba, and Dr. Nouredini we have held five CSUEB hack days. This hack day focused on developing drone-based tools aid in a hypothetical outbreaks. The goal is to develop an environment where unique interdisciplinary and cross-cultural relationships can be built amongst students, while simultaneously expanding their scientific and technological knowledge base. 

Project 3
establishing a traveling insect petting zoo

This is an ongoing outreach program centered around a traveling live insect exhibit. There are six species of ‘petting’ insects that can be handled safely and easily CSUEB take to local schools for classroom visits.

PROJECT 4 (in collaboration with Dr. Sitaraman)
What is the impact of serotonin inhibition on  Drosophila suzukii?

​Spotted wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii) is an invasive agricultural pest. D. suzukii infestations in California are estimated to cause $500 million in damages annually. Traditional pesticide applications have proven ineffective as aerosol pesticides are unable to reach D. suzukii larval stages that reside underneath the skin of ripening fruits. Therefore, there is an urgent need for novel control strategies for D. suzukii that is specific to the physiology and behavior of these pests. We hypothesize that treatment of the food sources of D. suzukii with a serotonin inhibitor, and non-toxic sleep-depriving agents like caffeine, will alter the feeding and sleep behaviors of adult flies resulting in reduced lifespan, mating vigor and egg laying.

project 5
transforming elementary science teaching

​Elementary Science Partnership (ESP) is a professional development partnership aimed at transforming science teaching and learning in predominately low-income schools serving underrepresented minority students and English language learners. The partnership focuses on teachers in the upper elementary grade bands and administrators for intensive and ongoing professional development while focusing on building organizational capacity within and amongst partners. ESP is part of the ongoing professional development offered by the Science Partnership led by the Alameda County Office of Education and California State University, East Bay.