Name: Dan Hahn
Hometown: Hallandale, Florida, USA
Position: Chief e-mail writer and form filler-outer (PI)
Education: B.S. in Biological Sciences from
Florida State University
Ph.D. in Insect Science from the University of Arizona
Prized publication: Our next paper is going to be amazing because…
I am fascinated by evolution, particularly adaptation and diversification. About half of my work is driven by the desire to understand the vast diversity of life histories one can observe in across every group of animals and plants. As a comparative physiologist, I like to study diversification through the mechanistic lenses of cell biology, biochemistry, development, and genetics. We have studied diversification in a number of contexts including the evolution of phenotypic plasticity – particularly in life-history timing, and hardiness to environmental stressors. The other half of my interests lie in using this mechanistic perspective on how insects work to improve environmentally friendly facets of pest management. For example, our group has contributed to enhancing the performance of insect biological control agents and developing non-chemical treatments to eliminate insect pests from fresh fruits and vegetables. When I am not working, I like to spend time with my family. I love traveling, being outdoors, and eating.
Name: Chao Chen
Hometown: Yongxiu County, Jiangxi, China
Position: Postdoc Associate
Education: B.S. in Plant Protection from
Jiangxi Agricultural University
Ph.D. in Crop Protection from Jiangxi Agricultural University
Prized publication: Inheritance of photoperiodic control of pupal diapause in the cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner)
My research project in Hahn lab focuses on 1) the mechanisms of energetic regulation in insect diapause by using the flesh fly, Sarcophaga crassipalpis; 2) improving environmentally friendly methods SIT (sterile insect technique) for mosquito control and facilitating phytosanitary irradiation treatments for commodities. Beside these project, I’m always interested in utilizing beneficial insect such as black soldier fly for improving sustainable lifestyle.
Name: Geoffrey Broadhead
Hometown: Yanceyville, NC, USA
Position: Postdoc Associate
Education: B.S. in Biological Sciences
from North Carolina State University
Ph.D. in Neurobiology and Behavior from Cornell University
​
I am interested in how individual physiological state generates variation and influences the success of organismal life history strategies. In my PhD work I focused on chemical signaling interactions between plants and pollinators (floral scent), focusing on the allocation strategies of plants advertising to pollinators, and the behavioral preferences and fitness outcomes of visiting insect pollinators. In the Hahn lab I work in the Rhagoletis system to investigate the role of developmental signaling pathways in maintaining differential life history timing between host races.
Joseph Berger; insectimages.org
Name: Qinwen Xia
Hometown: Jiangxi , China
Position: Postdoc Associate
Education: B.S. in Agronomy from
Jiangxi Agricultural University
M.S. in Zoology from Jiangxi Agricultural University
Ph.D. in Entomology from the University of Florida
Prized publication: Inheritance of photoperiodic induction of larval diapause in the Asian corn borer Ostrinia furnacalis
My Ph.D. work focused on the endocrine mechanisms underlying rapid evolution of life cycle timing via shifts in the timing of diapause. Specifically, I conducted endocrine studies in two classic models of ecological speciation via divergence in diapause timing, the apple maggot (Rhagoletis pomonella) and the European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis). Each species has early and late diapausing races or strains that affect the timing of adult activity, thus generating reproductive isolation. They are the early emerging apple and late emerging hawthorn host races in R. pomonella, as well as the early and late emerging strain in O. nubilalis. The shifts in diapause timing in both species are associated with release timing of ecdysteroids and the timing of ecdysteroid sensitivity, a key hormone that promotes the start of morphogenesis after pupal diapause in R. pomonella and larval diapause in O. nubilalis. I will continue my research as a post doc by investigating the potential upstream molecular events underlying rapid adaption in diapause timing.
Name: Dylan A. Tussey
Hometown: Lexington, North Carolina, USA
Position: Ph.D. Student
Education: B.S. in Environmental Entomology from
UNC Asheville
M.S. in Entomology from the University of Minnesota
Prized publication: Effects of adult feeding and overwintering conditions on energy reserves and flight performance of emerald ash borer (Coleoptera: Buprestidae)
Broadly, I’m interested in improving the management of insect pests invasive species through a better knowledge of the species’ ecology and physiology. My current research focuses on improving the quality of sterilized Aedes aegypti mosquitoes for use in sterile insect technique (SIT). Specifically, I’m working to make sterilized males more competitive against wild males for access to females in the wild through reducing non-target effects that reduce the performance of males that arise during mass rearing and sterilization through gamma-irradiation. From egg collection through release, there are numerous inefficiencies that can lead to poor quality sterile males. If SIT is a business, then sterile males are the product, and my goals are to make that product more reliable and cost effective. When I’m not playing with mosquitoes in the lab, I am usually swatting them while enjoying my hobbies: fishing, gardening, and wildlife photography.
Photo by Dylan Tussey
Photo by Dylan Tussey
Photo by Dylan Tussey
Name: Clancy Short
Hometown: Goshen, Indiana, USA
Position: Ph.D. Student
Education: B.S. in Entomology from The Ohio State University
M.S. in Entomology from the University of Florida
Prized publication: Entrainment of eclosion and preliminary ontogeny of circadian clock gene expression in the flesh fly, Sarcophaga crassipalpis
I'm fascinated by how insects, with their tiny brains, are still capable of making "smart" decisions. More specifically, I research how insects can change their reproductive development and behavior in response to malnutrition. The investigate this question, I use males of the Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspensa. When I feed these males enough dietary protein, they display more reproductive behavior. But how are they sensing that they've eaten enough protein? I think proteins called hexamerin storage proteins, are used as a circulating signal of how much protein an insect has consumed, and then insects use this information to make "smart" decisions about behavior and development. One day SIT programs may be able to use my findings to trick insect males into displaying more courtship behavior, generating more efficient SIT programs. As my work continues, I want to investigate how insects integrate time-of-day/time-of-year information with nutritional information to make decisions about development and behavior. When I'm not in the lab, I like to play water polo and electric bass.
Photo by Dylan Tussey
Photo by Dylan Tussey
Photo by Dylan Tussey
Name: Valeriya Prytkova
Hometown: Edmond, Oklahoma, USA
Position: Undergraduate Volunteer
Education: Ongoing B.S. in Biology from the University of Florida
​
I am fascinated by fascinated people, and Dr. Hahn’s lab is contagious with a passion for knowledge. Within the last year, I have become extremely interested in analyzing universal events such as puberty and circadian rhythms in tiny creatures such as flies. I especially love hands on learning through meticulous dissections or brain injections! For my project, I am investigating whether protein storage regulates the growth of the salivary glands (a secondary sexual character) in the Caribbean fruit fly. This is a pathway to decreasing the costs of SIT which is an environmental-friendly method of pest-control.Outside of the lab, I’m studying to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and enjoy playing the piano in my free time.
Name: Olivia Smith
Hometown: Orlando, Florida, USA
Position: Laboratory Technician
Education: B.S. in Biology from the University of Florida
​
My research experience includes work with MBNL1 and MBNL2 mice, C. elegans, and now Aedes agypti. Most of my work has revolved around evolution and population genetics. In the Hahn lab, exposure to insect physiology has taken me out of my comfort zone and proven to be a wonderful experience so far. I help with some of the metabolic measurements for the diapause timing project involving Rhagoletis pomonella. I will also be assisting with the current Sterile Insect Technique project. Outside of the lab, I enjoy volunteering in various areas in the community and take time to destress with my cat Bubbs.
Postgraduate Alumni
Andrew Nguyen
Postdoc 2017-2019
Last Known Whereabouts:
PETA International Science Consortium Ltd.
​
James Brown
MS Student 2016-2019
Last Known Whereabouts:
Biologist, USDA-ARS-CMAVE
​
Leigh Boardman
Postdoc 2015-2018
Last Known Whereabouts:
Postdoc, University of Florida
http://leighboardman.blogspot.com
​
Vanessa Simoes Dias De Castro
PhD Student 2014-2018
Last Known Whereabouts:
Research Scientist, FAO/IAEA Insect Pest Control Laboratory
​
Tom Powell
Postdoc 2013-2016
Last Known Whereabouts:
Faculty, Binghamton University
​
Nick Teets
Postdoc 2013-2015
Last Known Whereabouts:
Faculty, University of Kentucky
https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/person/nicholas-teets
​
Catriona Condon
Postdoc 2013-2015
Last Known Whereabouts:
Patent Examiner, IP Australia based at Canberra University Medical School
Internet Ghost
​
Caroline Williams
Postdoc 2012-2014
Last Known Whereabouts:
Faculty, University of California Berkeley
​
Bo Idsardi
MS Student 2012-2014
Last Known Whereabouts:
PhD in Science Education, University of Georgia
Faculty, Eastern Washington University
​
Dehlia Albrecht:
MS Student 2011-2013
Last Known Whereabouts:
PhD Student, UF Agricultural Education and Communication
Program Coordinator, UF Center for Precollegiate Education and Training
​
Giancarlo Lopez-Martinez
Postdoc 2009-2013
Last Known Whereabouts:
Faculty, North Dakota State University
https://www.ndsu.edu/biology/people/faculty/
​
Bertanne Visser
Postdoc 2012
Last Known Whereabouts:
Postdoctoral Fellow, Catholic University Leuven, Belgium
​
Greg Ragland
Postdoc 2007-2011
Last Known Whereabouts:
Faculty, University of Colorado-Denver
https://seasonaladaptation.org
​
Sharon Clemmensen
MS Student 2008-2010
Last Known Whereabouts:
PhD in Ecology & Evolution, University of Tennessee
Lecturer, University of Tennessee
​
Frank Wessels
PhD Student, 2005-2010
Last Known Whereabouts:
Scientist, DowAgroSciences/Corteva
​
Undergraduate Alumni
Samantha Thomas
2017-2018
Last Known Whereabouts:
Bone Histology Lab at UF
​
Johanna Schwartz
2016-2018
Last Known Whereabouts:
Unknown
​
Nicole DeLorenzo
2016-2017
Last Known Whereabouts:
Full-time lab tech NOVA Southeastern Medical School
​
Andre Szjner-Sigal
2012-2016
Last Known Whereabouts:
PhD program in Integrative Biology, University of California-Berkeley
​
Bailey Pierce
2014-2016
Last Known Whereabouts:
Florida Atlantic University Medical School
​
Megan Laughrey
2014-2016
Last Known Whereabouts:
Taking a year off before applying to medical school
​
Emily Richter
2013-2014
Last Known Whereabouts:
UF Undergrad
​
Jennifer Kight
2013-2014
Last Known Whereabouts:
UF Pharmacy School
​
Theodore Cogley
2013-2014
Last Known Whereabouts:
Biology PhD program at Arizona State University
​
Sabrina White
2012-2014
Last Known Whereabouts:
Helicopter-flying EMT and rock-climbing guide in Utah
​
Laura Castellanos
2011-2013
Last Known Whereabouts:
Univ. South Florida Medical Arts MS program
​
Rachel Silverberg
2011-2012
Last Known Whereabouts:
UF Undergrad
​
Lazaro Dias
2010-2011
Last Known Whereabouts:
NOVA Southeastern Physicians Assistants School
​
Gabi Cervoni
2009-2011
Last Known Whereabouts:
UF Medical School
