Ryan C Smith

Ryan C. Smith is an Associate Professor in the Department of Entomology at Iowa State University, specializing in Medical Entomology with a focus on host-pathogen interactions between mosquitoes and pathogens. His research combines molecular and ecological approaches to study mosquito innate immunity, particularly the role of hemocytes in limiting pathogen infection. He leads mosquito and tick surveillance programs for Iowa, collaborating with the Iowa Department of Public Health. Smith joined Iowa State in 2015 after postdoctoral training at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He holds a Ph.D. and B.S. in Biology from the University of California, Riverside.

Research interests include understanding how mosquito physiology and immune systems influence vector competence and disease transmission, with a focus on West Nile virus (WNV) and invasive species like Aedes albopictus. His work integrates long-term surveillance data with molecular studies on immune cell dynamics. Key projects involve hemocyte biology, prostaglandin signaling in immunity, and the impact of successive blood-feeding on pathogen survival.

Smith has secured grants such as NIH R21 for developing genetic tools to study hemocytes. His awards include a National Research Service Award and a Johns Hopkins postdoctoral fellowship. He oversees the Smith Lab, which emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches to vector-borne disease ecology and immunity.