Rita V.M. Rio

Rita V.M. Rio, Ph.D., is a Professor at West Virginia University and serves as the Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences. Her research focuses on the evolution of host-associated microbiota and their functional roles in health and ecology, particularly in the context of vector-borne diseases.

• Education
  • BS in Biology (cum laude, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology) from UCONN
  • MS in Entomology from Penn State
  • PhD in Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases from Yale University

The Rio lab specializes in manipulating microbiota to develop biocontrol strategies for tsetse flies, vectors of African trypanosomes. Her work integrates ecological and evolutionary theory with microbiology and bioinformatics, targeting microbiota regulation of vector development and disease transmission.

Her research has attracted national funding and contributed to the establishment of WVU’s Genomics Area of Emphasis. She has also held leadership roles in academic service, including co-Director of the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) program (2020-2024).

• Scientific Awards
  • Yale School of Public Health PhD Alumna Award (2020)
  • WVU Eberly Outstanding Researcher Award (2016)
  • Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award (2008)