Ashli Owen-Smith is a behavioral scientist affiliated with the School of Public Health at Georgia State University , where her research focuses on mental health disparities, suicide prevention, and integrative/complementary approaches for complex mental-physical health conditions. She works with underserved populations including refugees/immigrants, incarcerated individuals, and LGBTQ+ communities through community-based participatory research and mixed-methods frameworks. Her current projects are funded by CDC , DBHDD , and DPH . Education: Ph.D. in Behavioral Sciences (Emory, 2009), S.M. in Public Health (Harvard, 2005), B.A. in Psychology (Smith College, 2001) Her research spans mental health , trauma , suicide prevention , and mindfulness-based interventions . Recent work examines telehealth adaptations for chronic pain and mental health, vaccine hesitancy in refugee communities, and social determinants of suicide . She leads studies on gender-affirming care and health disparities in LGBTQ+ populations. Key article trends include epidemiological analysis of suicide risk factors, COVID-19 impacts on mental health, ICD-10 coding for autism, and complementary medicine in trauma recovery. Subfields span telehealth , health equity , mental-physical comorbidity , and community engagement . Students she has mentored include C.A. Scarlett , T. Griner , and M.M. Sesay . Her work integrates public health policy , clinical research , and health systems analysis .
Rotem Karni, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Genetics at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. He leads a research lab focused on understanding how alternative RNA splicing contributes to cancer and genetic diseases, with a strong emphasis on translating these findings into RNA-based therapies. Karni's lab develops decoy oligonucleotides, small molecules, and splice-switching technologies to modulate splicing factors and enhance immunotherapy. Education BSc in Biological Chemistry from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (1997) PhD in Biological Chemistry from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel (2002) Postdoctoral Fellowship at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, NY (2002-2007) Karni's research explores the deregulation of alternative splicing in oncogenesis, particularly how splicing factors like RBFOX2 and S6K1 influence metastasis, DNA repair, and immune checkpoint modulation. His team investigates m6A RNA modifications for stabilizing mutant genes, with applications in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and pancreatic cancer. The lab's work is commercialized through biotech companies: SKIP Therapeutics, Andlit Therapeutics, and RNAble. Selected Research Trends RNA mis-splicing and neoantigen generation (2025) Splicing factor inhibition for tumor suppression (2023) Metastatic splicing signatures in pancreatic cancer (2023) Immune checkpoint splicing in cancer immunotherapy (2021) m6A modulation for mRNA stabilization (2023) Advising & Collaborations Karni has mentored numerous PhD and postdoctoral researchers, many of whom now hold leadership roles in academia, biotech, and medical institutions globally. His lab collaborates extensively on projects involving RNA innovation, including partnerships with the Institute for RNA Innovation. Contact Department of Genetics & Institute for RNA Innovation, One uCity Square, Room 4018, Philadelphia, PA 19104 Phone: 215-898-5072 Email: Rotem.Karni@Upenn.edu
Charlotte Jacobsen is a Professor and Head of the Research Group for Bioactives – Analysis and Application at the National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark (DTU). Her research focuses on lipid oxidation, antioxidants, and sustainable utilization of marine resources. She leads multiple interdisciplinary projects and supervises PhD students in food science and technology. Research Interests: Antioxidant chemistry in food systems Oxidative stability of omega-3 fatty acids Valorization of fish and seafood by-products Microalgae as sustainable sources of bioactives Functional foods and nutraceuticals Green extraction technologies Recent Research Trends: Her recent publications (2021–2025) reflect a strong focus on sustainable food systems, including the recovery of bioactive compounds from fish side-streams, stabilization of omega-3 lipids, development of anti-obesity peptides from seaweed, and cultivation of microalgae using industrial waste streams. The work spans food chemistry, marine biotechnology, and green processing, with applications in functional foods and nutrition. Scientific Awards: Danisco Award, 2003 Edwin Frankel Best Paper Award, 2010 and 2011 La Médaille Chevreul, 2010 Marcuse Lecturer grant, 1999 Advising and Grants: Professor Jacobsen actively supervises PhD students and leads multiple funded research projects, including 'Utilization of fish side-streams for production of novel food ingredients' and 'Sustainable Production of Microalgae Proteins'. She is involved in national and international collaborations, securing research funding for projects on omega-3 extraction, microalgae cultivation, and seafood quality. Labs and Teams: She leads the Research Group for Bioactives – Analysis and Application at DTU, which is part of the DTU Microbes Initiative. The group specializes in analytical methods for bioactive compounds, lipid oxidation analysis, and development of sustainable food ingredients.
Jessica Williams, PhD is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurosciences at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute (LRI) with additional faculty appointments at Case Western Reserve University, Kent State University, and Cleveland State University. She serves as the Cleveland Clinic liaison for Kent State University and represents the Clinic on the Executive Council for the Brain Health Institute and the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program Executive Committee. Education: Postdoctoral Fellowship in Neuroimmunology, Washington University School of Medicine (2017) Ph.D. in Immunology, The Ohio State University (2011) M.S. in Physiology, Purdue University (2006) B.S. in Biology/Chemistry, Lindenwood University (2004) Dr. Williams' research focuses on neuroimmune interactions during multiple sclerosis, particularly examining regional responses of CNS glia to immune stimuli and astrocyte-immune crosstalk. Her lab employs murine MS models, primary human and murine cell analyses, and MS patient lesion assessment to investigate cytokine-mediated neuroprotection and CNS repair mechanisms. Recent work highlights protective astrocyte functions mediated by traditionally deleterious cytokines. Analysis of her 15 most recent publications reveals consistent focus on neuroimmune crosstalk in MS, with increasing emphasis on astrocyte heterogeneity, cytokine signaling (particularly IFNγ), and novel therapeutic targets like immunoproteasomes. Key themes include regional CNS differences in immune responses, glial cell repair mechanisms, and translating basic findings into potential MS therapies. Scientific Awards: Lerner Research Institute Excellence in Education Award (2022) Mentor of the Year Award (2023) Dr. Williams actively mentors the next generation of scientists as evidenced by her CIMER Trained Mentor certification and the graduation of PhD student Brandon Smith. Her research is supported by significant funding from the NIH, National MS Society, W.M. Keck Foundation, Brain Health Research Institute, and Neurological and Vision Impact Area. She regularly serves on study sections for the NIH, National MS Society, and Department of Defense. The Williams Laboratory investigates the interplay between immune and central nervous systems during MS, with current projects examining cytokine-mediated neuroimmune crosstalk for CNS repair and regionally distinct glial responses to inflammation. The lab employs advanced techniques including murine MS models and primary human cell analyses to identify novel therapeutic pathways for MS patients.
Professor George Palattiyil is a Personal Chair of Social Work and Refugee Studies at the University of Edinburgh , with a focus on forced migration, HIV/AIDS, human rights, and social work education. He leads interdisciplinary initiatives like the Global Refugee Health Research Network and contributes to teaching across BSc, MSW, and MSc programmes. PhD in Social Work (University of Strathclyde, 1999) Masters in Social Work (Kerala, India) His research bridges social work and public health, emphasizing lived experiences of refugees, HIV-affected families, and older populations. Recent projects include: Impact of COVID-19 on families of care home residents in Scotland Adolescent reproductive health in Uganda, Jordan, and Bangladesh HIV/TB care barriers for refugees in Kampala Human rights of HIV-positive asylum seekers Cross-border surrogacy ethics Scientific achievements include: Senior Fellow , UK Higher Education Academy Best Personal Tutor Award (2019) Editorial work on Social Work in a Global Context He supervises PhD projects on topics like Queer women in Kerala , Refugee detention alternatives , and intergenerational care in China . His teaching integrates cross-cultural experiences, including abroad programmes to India.
Dr. Daniel Roxbury is an Associate Professor and Graduate Director at the Department of Chemical, Biomolecular and Materials Engineering within the University of Rhode Island's College of Engineering. With expertise in nanoscience and carbon nanomaterials, his research focuses on nano-bio interactions, developing functionalized nanotubes for biomedical applications and environmental monitoring through his NanoBio Engineering Laboratory. His work spans multiple disciplines including: Biomedical nanosensors Smart wearable biomaterials Targeted drug delivery systems Environmental nanotechnology Single-molecule imaging Nanotoxicology Recent publications emphasize machine learning-enhanced spectral analysis, coral reef conservation nanotechnology, and wearable stress monitoring textiles. His 2024 ACS Nano study introduces AI-driven macrophage phenotyping, while 2023 Nature Nanotechnology work explores coral reef restoration strategies using nanomaterials. Awarded the 2019 NSF CAREER grant for cellular nanometrology, he leads multiple NIH-funded projects including: $820,000 NSF CAREER: Spectral Imaging for Sub-Cellular Nanometrology $140,000 Miriam Hospital COBRE: Cortisol Detection Textiles $700,000 NSF EAGER: Multiplexed Wound Biomarker Detection His laboratory houses state-of-the-art equipment including: Near Infrared Hyperspectral Microscope Custom NIR Fluorescence Spectrometer Jasco UV/VIS/NIR Spectrophotometer Biosafety Cabinet Cell Culture Incubator Cryo-Storage System
Pedro Ferreira is a Full Professor at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), holding a joint appointment in the School of Information Systems & Management at the Heinz College and the Department of Engineering and Public Policy within the College of Engineering. His research focuses on how technology influences education, media consumption, and peer effects, leveraging large datasets from randomized experiments. Ferreira has been recognized with the 2018 INFORMS Early Career Award and Top 17th worldwide research scholar ranking (2020–2022). He co-founded CMU's Initiative for Teaching and Education Analytics (iTEA) and advises numerous students in areas like AI/ML in education and media analytics. Education: BSc in Computer Science (IST), MSc in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science & Technology Policy (MIT), PhD in Telecommunications Policy (CMU). He has taught at MIT, IST, and invited roles at Católica-Lisbon and the University of Cambridge. Research Interests: Impact of digital technologies on education outcomes (e.g., smartphones in classrooms, video analytics), peer influence in media industries (e.g., binge-watching, recommender systems), and empirical methods using randomized experiments. Current projects include AI-driven education improvement and policy implications of AI/ML technologies. Notable Achievements: Over 15 peer-reviewed articles in top journals like Management Science and MIS Quarterly. Key grants include Gates Foundation funding for video-based education research and Koch Foundation support for online certification studies. He serves as Associate Editor for Management Science and previously for MIS Quarterly. Advising & Grants: Advised 23 PhD students, many now in academia and industry. Current students research facial recognition in education and hybrid recommender systems. Ferreira has led grants totaling millions, including studies on GDPR's impact on piracy tracking and worldwide VoD availability. Professional Service: Organized conferences like the Symposium on Statistical Challenges in eCommerce Research (SCECR). Served on NSF review panels and CMU’s Portugal PhD program steering committee.曾参与葡萄牙知识社会局(UMIC)的国家级政策制定，推动宽带学校项目。
Richard MA Tianbai is an Associate Professor at the School of Computing, National University of Singapore (NUS), and serves as IT Coordinator for Computing Facilities. He holds a B.Sc. (First-Class Honors) and M.Phil. from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, followed by an M.Sc. and Ph.D. from Columbia University, USA. His research focuses on systems & networking, distributed computing, and internet economics, with projects addressing cloud-based big data systems and internet peering agreements. Richard has received multiple awards, including the Best Paper Award Runners-up at ACM Mobihoc 2020 and the Teaching Excellence Award from NUS School of Computing in 2019. His work bridges theoretical models with practical applications in network economics and distributed systems. Education: B.Sc. (First-Class Honors), Computer Science & Engineering, Chinese University of Hong Kong (2002) M.Phil., Computer Science & Engineering, Chinese University of Hong Kong (2004) M.Sc., Columbia University (2008) Ph.D., Columbia University (2010) Research Interests: Cloud-Based Big Data Systems: Innovating serverless paradigms for real-time analytics (e.g., Stream as a Service). Internet Economics: Modeling peering agreements, premium peering dynamics, and regulatory alternatives to net neutrality. Distributed Computing: Auto-scaling frameworks (e.g., Elasticutor, DRS) for real-time stream processing. His research emphasizes performance guarantees and resource optimization in dynamic networked systems. Awards: Best Paper Award Runners-up (ACM Mobihoc 2020) Teaching Excellence Award (School of Computing 2019) Bell Labs Best Paper Award (IEEE SDP 2015) Best Paper Awards at ICNP 2014 and IC2E 2013 Grants & Advising: Recipient of research grants supporting projects like “Testbed for Innovative Inter-Networking Research.” Advises on doctoral projects related to stream processing and network economics. His work is funded by industry collaborations and institutional grants. Labs & Teams: Part of the Distributed Network Analysis (DNA) Research Group and Advanced Networking & Systems Research Group, fostering interdisciplinary collaborations in networking and distributed systems.
Mohammad Mohammadi Amiri serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), appointed in Fall 2023. His research focuses on advancing artificial intelligence through strategic data utilization, with emphasis on large language models, data valuation, federated learning, and deep learning. Previously, he held postdoctoral appointments at Princeton University and MIT Media Lab, building on his strong educational foundation from Imperial College London, University of Tehran, and Iran University of Science and Technology. Education: Ph.D. in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Imperial College London (2019) - Best Ph.D. Thesis Award recipient M.Sc. in Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Tehran (2014) - Ranked 1st among all M.Sc. students B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology (2011) - Ranked 1st among all B.Sc. students Dr. Amiri's research centers on optimizing artificial intelligence systems through innovative data strategies. His work addresses critical challenges in large language models including efficiency, memory usage, alignment, and reasoning capabilities. In data valuation, he develops principled methods to quantify data worth for fair trading platforms. His federated learning research tackles privacy concerns, heterogeneous data distribution, and communication overhead in decentralized environments. The deep learning component explores theoretical foundations to improve model interpretability and robustness. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on making AI systems more efficient and accessible, with particular emphasis on large language model optimization, federated learning advancements, and data valuation frameworks. His work bridges theoretical foundations with practical applications in wireless communications and distributed computing environments. Scientific Awards: IEEE Communications Society Young Author Best Paper Award (2022) Best PhD Thesis Award from IEEE Information Theory Chapter of UK and Ireland (2019) Eryl Cadwallader Davies Prize for Outstanding PhD Thesis (2019) EEE Departmental Scholarship at Imperial College London (2015-2019) Ranked 1st among M.Sc. students at University of Tehran (2014) Ranked 1st among B.Sc. students at Iran University of Science and Technology (2011) Dr. Amiri actively mentors graduate students, currently supervising five Ph.D. candidates and one M.Sc. student working on efficient LLM fine-tuning, inference, and storage. His research has attracted significant attention, evidenced by numerous keynote invitations at prestigious institutions including Bell Labs, MIT, King's College London, and various IEEE conferences. He serves on program committees for major conferences including IEEE Globecom and ICC, demonstrating his growing influence in the academic community. His research group operates at the intersection of machine learning and wireless communications, developing innovative solutions for resource-constrained environments while addressing fundamental theoretical challenges in AI systems. Current projects focus on making advanced AI more scalable and accessible through efficiency improvements in model training and inference.
Dr. Jason Monios is a Senior Professor of Maritime Logistics at Kedge Business School in Marseille, France, specializing in operations, supply chain, and information management. His work focuses on the intersection of maritime transport, logistics, and environmental sustainability. Professor Monios' research spans three primary domains: Maritime Transport: Focusing on port system evolution, collaboration in port hinterlands, port governance and policy, and institutional frameworks Multimodal Transport: Examining multimodal corridors, dry ports, development of multimodal terminals, and urban logistics strategies Sustainability: Addressing maritime sustainability, decarbonization policies, green ports, climate change adaptation, and electric/autonomous vehicle integration His recent publications (2022-2025) demonstrate a strong focus on climate change adaptation in port governance, decarbonization of maritime transport, and innovative logistics solutions like urban consolidation centers. His work increasingly examines the intersection of environmental policy, technological innovation, and institutional frameworks in global shipping and logistics. Notable awards and recognitions include: Ranked in the top 2% of logistics researchers worldwide by Stanford/Elsevier (2021 and 2022) Research on climate change adaptation cited in the IPCC report (2022) Professor Monios has led research projects with a total budget exceeding €1 million and has supervised numerous doctoral theses. His work extends beyond academia through collaborations with national and regional transport authorities and technical reports for international organizations including UNCTAD, UN-ECLAC, and the World Bank.
Dr. Sara McMenamin is an Associate Professor at the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health & Human Longevity Science at UC San Diego. She serves as the Associate Director of the MPH program and Interim Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Education . Her research focuses on state-level policies addressing tobacco use and preventive services, particularly health insurance coverage for tobacco dependence treatment in California and nationally. She also co-chairs the California Health Benefits Review Program , evaluating proposed health insurance legislation's medical, cost, and public health impacts. Her work spans public health policy analysis , health insurance mandate evaluations, and tobacco control strategies. Key areas include analyzing the effects of tobacco tax increases (e.g., Proposition 56), tracking smoking trends among youth and adults, and investigating the interplay between e-cigarette use and smoking cessation. She has contributed to studies on fertility preservation mandates, telemedicine for substance use disorders, and health equity in insurance access. Recent research highlights include assessing declines in youth smoking despite e-cigarette surges, evaluating tobacco policy coverage changes in California, and projecting future cigarette consumption trends. Her work often bridges policy implementation and population health outcomes, emphasizing evidence-based approaches. Dr. McMenamin collaborates with interdisciplinary teams and state agencies to translate research into actionable policies. Her contributions span over 150 peer-reviewed publications, with frequent media and policy engagement (e.g., cited in 14+ news outlets for key studies).
Prof. Dr. Urs F. Greber is an Ordinary Professor of Molecular Cell Biology at the Department of Molecular Life Sciences, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Zurich. His research focuses on understanding how viruses interact with host cells, particularly adenoviruses and rhinoviruses that cause human respiratory diseases. He leads the Greber Lab, which investigates viral entry mechanisms, replication processes, and the cellular responses to infection. Greber's research interests span virology, molecular cell biology, and infection mechanisms. His lab explores how viruses take control over membrane and lipid functions, cytoplasmic transport processes, and cellular metabolism to support their gene expression and progeny formation. They employ system-wide profiling, molecular cell biology approaches, light microscopy, and machine learning for image analysis to map the cell state underlying viral infections of cultured and primary human cells, including lung organoids and iPSC-derived macrophages. A key focus is understanding cell-to-cell variability in infection phenotypes and the mode-of-action of antiviral compounds. The Greber Lab has published extensively on adenovirus biology, including viral entry, uncoating, nuclear import, and assembly mechanisms. Their recent work has identified broad-spectrum antiviral compounds, elucidated alternative virus entry pathways, and developed innovative imaging and AI-based approaches for quantifying virus infectivity. Their research contributes to understanding how viruses break down host defense barriers and has implications for antiviral therapy development. Greber has supervised numerous PhD and Master's students including Cornelia Bircher, Alessandro Savi, Franziska Tomas, Alfonso Gomez-Gonzalez, Anthony Petkidis, and Dominik Olszewski. His lab has received funding from the Swiss National Science Foundation, including a grant for coronavirus research during the pandemic. The lab actively collaborates with other research groups at University of Zurich, ETH Zurich, and international institutions. Current projects include exploring how viral DNA interactions contribute to infection outcome variability, investigating adenovirus egress mechanisms, and developing high-throughput screening methods for antiviral compounds.
Naomi Rogers, Ph.D. (She/Her) is Professor of the History of Medicine in the Section of the History of Medicine and the Program in the History of Science and Medicine at Yale University. She holds courtesy appointments in the History Department and the Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies Program, and serves on Yale's Dean's Advisory Council for LGBTQI Affairs. Professor Rogers teaches undergraduate, graduate, and medical students, regularly lecturing on the history of AIDS, reproduction, health economics, eugenics, nutrition, disability, and health activism. Professor Rogers' educational background includes: PhD in History from University of Pennsylvania (1986) MA from University of Pennsylvania (1986) BA in Music from Melbourne University (1980) BA with Honors from Melbourne University (1979) Her research focuses on 20th and 21st century history of medicine with emphasis on health inequities and social justice. Professor Rogers' historical interests span gender and health, disease and public health, disability studies, feminism, alternative medicine, health policy, and health activism. Her work critically examines the intersection of medical practices with social movements, particularly how marginalized communities have challenged medical orthodoxy throughout American history. She has published extensively in journals such as American Journal of Public Health, Bulletin of the History of Medicine, Journal of Medical Humanities, Radical History Review, Social History of Medicine, and Women and Health. Professor Rogers' recent scholarship demonstrates a consistent focus on the historical dimensions of contemporary health issues, particularly vaccine politics, abortion history, and community health activism. Her publications reveal patterns of resistance to medical authority, the role of race and gender in shaping health outcomes, and the historical roots of current health justice movements. Her work bridges academic history with public engagement, as evidenced by her frequent media commentary on COVID-19 and other health issues in outlets including BBC Radio, CNN, Huffington Post, National Public Radio, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post. Among her notable recognitions: AAHN's Lavinia L. Dock Award for Exemplary Historical Research for 'Polio Wars: Sister Kenny and the Golden Age of American Medicine' (2014) Presenter of the AAHM's Garrison Lecture: 'Radical Visions of American Medicine: Politics and Activism in the History of Medicine' (2017) Professor Rogers has been actively involved in academic leadership and mentoring. She has served as Director of Graduate Studies for the 2022-23 academic year, Chair of the Women's Faculty Forum, and Liaison to the Committee on Status of Women in Medicine. Her service extends to editorial boards including the Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences since 2018. She has also contributed to public understanding of medicine through consultations for documentaries including 'The Polio Crusade' (PBS), 'On the Basis of Sex' (Focus Features), and 'War on Science' (in process). Currently, Professor Rogers serves on the Medical School's OBGYN 'Dobbs' Sessions Planning Committee, which has organized webinars for the Yale community, and was co-organizer of the history-themed session 'Rooted in History: Abortion, Law and American Health Care.' She is working on her book project 'Health Radicalism and the Humanization of American Medicine' (under contract with Oxford), examining critics of medical orthodoxy since 1945 including civil rights, consumer, and feminist activists. She also conducts ongoing research on antisemitism in American medicine in the decades before and after World War II.
Marjo Yliperttula is a Professor at the Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki. She serves as a supervisor in the Doctoral Programmes in Biomedicine, Drug Research, and Materials Research and Nanosciences, with expertise in biomaterials and pharmaceutical technology. Her research focuses on nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) hydrogels for wound healing and drug delivery, extracellular vesicle (EV) engineering for therapeutic applications, and freeze-drying technologies for biomaterial preservation. Key contributions include NFC-based wound dressings that enhance platelet-rich plasma release (2024), Raman spectroscopy methods for monitoring freeze-drying-induced mutarotation (2024), and tandem chromatography techniques for high-purity EV isolation (2023). Her work bridges pharmaceutical sciences with regenerative medicine, emphasizing translational applications in chronic wound treatment and targeted drug delivery. Recent publications (2022-2025) reveal three dominant trends: (1) Optimization of NFC hydrogels for controlled drug release and tissue regeneration, (2) Advanced characterization of EV phenotypes under hypoxic conditions for improved therapeutic efficacy, and (3) Development of analytical methods (Raman spectroscopy, chromatography) to address manufacturing challenges in biopharmaceuticals. These themes reflect her group's commitment to solving critical problems in biomaterial stability, EV-based delivery, and precision wound care. Professor Yliperttula has supervised 10 doctoral theses, including recent work on NFC for skin substitutes (Elle Koivunotko), freeze-drying of hydrogels (Arto Merivaara), and mesenchymal stromal cells for wound healing (Jasmi Snirvi). She currently leads the Academy of Finland-funded GeneCellNa project (2024-2026) on gene/cell/nanotherapy for chronic diseases and a Finnish Red Cross project (2023-2024) on NFC for blood products, with cumulative project funding spanning 18 initiatives since 2005. She heads the Biopharmaceuticals Group within the Drug Research Program, fostering collaborations across pharmaceutical biosciences, materials science, and clinical medicine to advance next-generation therapeutic platforms.
Mark S. Hoddle is a Professor of Entomology and Biological Control Specialist at the University of California, Riverside (UCR), where he has headed research in his laboratory since 1997. He serves as the Director of the Center for Invasive Species Research and is a Principal Investigator focusing on biological control of invasive pests. His work bridges academic research with practical applications for California agriculture. Education: D.Sc. Zoology (2018), University of Auckland, New Zealand Ph.D. Entomology (1996), University of Massachusetts, Amherst M.S. Zoology (1991), University of Auckland, New Zealand B.S. Zoology (1988), University of Auckland, New Zealand Dr. Hoddle specializes in biological control, the intentional use of host-specific natural enemies to suppress pest populations. His research focuses on identifying pest problems amenable to biological control, locating and releasing natural enemies, and evaluating their impact on pest population growth. He works extensively with invasive species affecting California agriculture, particularly pests of citrus, avocado, palm trees, and other crops. His approach combines field evaluations with laboratory studies of pest and natural enemy biology and behavior. Analysis of Dr. Hoddle's recent publications reveals a strong focus on invasive species threatening California agriculture, particularly the Asian citrus psyllid, red palm weevil, and brown marmorated stink bug. His research integrates field and laboratory approaches, with emphasis on phenology modeling, natural enemy evaluation, and innovative control methods. Much of his work addresses the economic and ecological impacts of invasive pests on specialty crops. Scientific Awards: Entomological Society of America, Pacific Branch Entomology Team Leader Award (2023) UC-ANR Distinguished Service Award for Outstanding Research (2022) Fellow, Entomological Society of America (2018) California Department of Pesticide Regulations IPM Achievement Award for Asian Citrus Psyllid Biocontrol (2018) IOBC Distinguished Scientist of the Year (2015) Multiple awards from the Entomological Society of America (2007, 2012, 2013, 2014) Dr. Hoddle has mentored numerous students and researchers throughout his career, including postdoctoral scholars and specialists who contribute to his laboratory's work on invasive species. His research has been supported by various granting agencies, private institutions, and commodity boards, enabling extensive international projects focused on identifying and implementing biological control solutions for invasive pests. He has facilitated the Harry Scott Smith Scholarship Fund to support graduate students in biological control. Dr. Hoddle directs the Center for Invasive Species Research at UCR and leads a productive laboratory team that includes postdoctoral scholars, specialists, and students. The lab conducts research on multiple invasive species threatening California agriculture and natural ecosystems, with particular emphasis on citrus, avocado, and palm tree pests. Current projects include proactive biological control of the spotted lanternfly and research on invasive palm weevils, avocado pests, and other emerging threats.
