Dr. Martha (Marcy) Sanders Professor of Occupational Therapy will speak on her research on Thursday, April 9 at 12:30 PM in Echlin Center 101

 Thursday, April 9 at 12:30 PM in Echlin Center 101 

• Quinnipiac Chapter of Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society Seminar Series presents Dr. Martha Sanders, Professor of Occupational Therapy will speak on her research on Thursday, April 9 at 12:30 PM in Echlin Center 101 

• Dr. Martha (Marcy) Sanders is a professor of occupational therapy at Quinnipiac University and a certifed professional ergonomist. Her clinical expertise in ergonomics enables her to work in office and manufacturing ergonomics environments as well as community health promotion (children and older adults) and environmental design to optimize health. She is the chair of the university ergonomics committee which offers ergonomics services to the QU community.  She has recently focused on the impact of optimal lighting environments on sleep and health. She is an ALA Lighting Specialist and has received professional certifications in lighting design and training in cognitive behavioral therapy for Insomnia. She has been involved in researching the visual and health-promoting asepcts of lighting environments to promote performance, mood, and circadian health, notably sleep. 

Dr. Rebecca Johnson will present “The impact of mosquito blood feeding behavior on within-mosquito virus dynamics” Tuesday, March 24, 12:30 PM, Echlin Center 101

 Tuesday, March 24, 12:30 PM, Echlin Center 101

Quinnipiac Chapter of Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society Seminar series presents: Dr. Rebecca Johnson Medical Entomology Post-Doctoral Research Scientist at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station

“The impact of mosquito blood feeding behavior on within-mosquito virus dynamics” 

In laboratory experiments, mosquitoes are typically given a single, full, blood meal, but this does not accurately reflect mosquito feeding behavior in the wild where mosquitoes often feed frequently and sometimes take partial blood meals. Recent findings from my lab using Aedes aegypti, the main vector for several important arthropod-borne viruses including dengue virus (DENV), suggest that failing to take this behavior into account may distort our understanding of mosquito biology and mosquito-virus dynamics. Studying the effects of mosquito blood feeding dynamics on virus dissemination and transmission is critical to successful mosquito control, experimental design, modelling of viral epidemics, and represents a new area of vector biology research. 

Dr. Rebecca Johnson is a NIH NIAID K99 recipient and post-doctoral research scientist at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station in New Haven, CT where she works on mosquito biology, within-mosquito virus dynamics, mosquito molecular pathways, and factors contributing to vector competence.