Justin Talley

Justin Talley is a Professor in the Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology at Oklahoma State University (OSU), serving as Department Head and Interim Director of the Institute of Biosecurity and Microbial Forensics (IBMF). He holds a Ph.D. in Entomology from Kansas State University (2008). His research focuses on pest management of livestock parasites, pathogen transmission via arthropods, and biosecurity, particularly in relation to African Swine Fever and other zoonotic diseases. Dr. Talley has served as the State Extension Specialist for Veterinary Entomology (2006–2022) and leads programs addressing stable flies, tick-borne pathogens, and carcass management during disease outbreaks.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Entomology, Kansas State University (2008)

Research Interests: His work spans integrated pest management, vector-borne disease dynamics, and the ecological impacts of invasive plants. Key areas include mosquito ecology in encroached habitats, bacterial communities in house flies, and tick biology in livestock systems. He emphasizes translational research to benefit both agricultural production and public health.

Grants & Projects:

• "Improving best practices for mass large animal mortality associated with virus outbreak" (2024–2026)
• "Pathogen Survival in Large Scale Carcass" (2019–2022)
• "Natives: Native Americans Trained in Various Entomological Sciences" (2017–2022)

Teaching & Extension: Teaches courses such as Livestock Entomology and Entomology Capstone. Develops educational materials for livestock producers on pest management, including extension publications on tick prevention and fly control.

Institute of Biosecurity and Microbial Forensics (IBMF): Oversees research in agriculture biosecurity, advanced diagnostics, and food safety. IBMF houses dedicated research faculty focusing on computational biology, pathogen diagnostics, and virology.