阿尔贝托Rascon

Inhibiting Mosquito Egg Production

We may consider mosquitos a simple nuisance, but these tiny insects are responsible for the transmission of the Zika, Dengue, Yellow Fever, and Chikungunya viruses. 阿尔贝托。 Rascón and his student researchers are determined to limit the mosquito population, and in turn, minimize the viruses spread.

Rascón’s team focuses on digestive enzymes known as proteases. 以(受感染的)动物为食 human host provides the mosquito with proteins needed for reproduction. 蛋白酶 break down those proteins into peptides needed for egg laying. 团队的目标是 to inhibit the protease’s process to limit egg production, thereby minimizing the mosquito population, and in turn minimizing virus transmission

During his five and a half years at 菠菜网lol正规平台, more than 20 of Rascón’s undergraduate students have g一个 on to optometry, dental, pharmacy, and medical schools, as well as to Ph.D. 项目. He credits them with his lab’s success.

“Without my students, our research lab would not be as successful in securing federal 资金. Their work has led to submissions of manuscripts for publication and presentations at local and national conferences (both orally or poster), giving them the confidence to discuss science with peers and with science faculty from other universities.”

Research Assistant Saira Montermoso works with 阿尔贝托。 Rascón to install a 50-mL superloop into the AKTA Fast Protein Liquid Chromatography protein purification system. Saira graduated in 2017 with a double major in Chemistry (concentration in Biochemistry) 和计算机科学. 她一直在博士实验室工作. 自2016年以来一直在Rascón实验室工作. Saira将 开始攻读她的博士学位.D. at the University of Pennsylvania this summer.

Chemistry, College of 科学
Sponsor: National Institutes of Health

菠菜网lol正规平台 研究基金会 2019 年度报告