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Agricultural Research Service United States Department of Agriculture
 

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DAVID W. STANLEY
RESEARCH LEADER

(573) 875-5361
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF INSECTS
1503 S PROVIDENCE, RESEARCH PK
Columbia MO 65211

Directions (external link to MapQuest.com)

Mission:
The mission of BCIRL (Biological Control of Insects Research Laboratory) is to discover, develop and refine principles and methods to effectively use biological control agents for the management of pest populations of insects and weeds. Specifically included in this mission are evaluation and enhancement of the activity, safety and production of effective beneficial pathogens, parasitoids and predators for biological control. BCIRL objectives are part of a larger ARS initiative to integrate the use of biological control agents into sustainable pest management systems.

 

BCIRL at the Missouri State Fair

BCIRL goes to the 2010 Missouri State Fair!

There was information for all ages:

                            

                            

                           

The favorite kids attraction was the "What does this bug eat?" game:

                            

                 

But the microscopes and coloring station were popular too:

                        

                         

BCIRL Garden

BCIRL's Demonstration Garden

All produce donated to the Central Missouri Foodbank

 

 

 

                                                        

 

 

                                                         

BCIRL Scientists

DAVID W. STANLEY serves as Supervisory Research Entomologist and Research Leader. His research is connected to each of the three main projects in the BCIRL. Relative to the nutrition project, certain fatty acids are essential nutrients for insects. These components must be digested before insects can assimilate them. The enzyme phospholipase A2 is crucial in lipid digestion and research in this area is designed to test the idea that this enzyme may be a novel target for improving biocontrol of pest insects. In the immunology project, research is aimed at discovery and understanding of signal mechanisms (particularly prostaglandin systems) responsible for mediating and coordinating pest insect immune reactions to biological control agents. This research is revealing new enzymes and receptors that may be exploited in integrated biocontrol efforts. In the cell culture/virology area, the main goal is to understand cellular defense reactions to viral infection. Current work uses cell culture coupled with proteomics. The goal is to determine prostaglandin- and viral-induced expression of specific proteins in cultured cells. Understanding and disruption of these cell defense processes may be exploited to improve the effectiveness of biological control strategies.

THOMAS A. COUDRON is a research chemist in the USDA ARS, and Lead Scientist of a research program developing propagation methods for propagation of beneficial insects used in biological control systems. His research focuses on the physiological interactions between insects, and the role these interactions serve in biological control. Of specific interest is how parasitoids regulate the development of their insect hosts and the nutritional ecology of insect parasitoids and predators, with an emphasis on developing artificial diets for entomophagous natural enemies. Currently he is studying the plasticity of insect digestive physiology by using nutrigenomics, immunocytohistology and enzymology to unravel the insect’s physiological and biochemical responses to changes in its nutrition. He has an Adjunct Associate Professor appointment in the Department of Entomology at the University of Missouri, serves on the editorial board for the Annals of the Entomological Society of America, the Advisory Board for the international Arthropod Mass Rearing and Quality Control Group, and co-chairs the Technical Committee for the USDA North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Grant Program.

HOLLY J. POPHAM is a Research Entomologist specializing in insect virology and molecular biology. Her research focuses on insect baculoviruses and ways to predict or enhance their efficacy in different environmental settings. Currently she is studying the immune response of the pest upon infection with a baculovirus. She holds an Adjunct Assistant Professor appointment in the Department of Entomology at the University of Missouri.

KENT S. SHELBY is a Research Entomologist at the ARS Biological Control of Insects Laboratory specializing in immunobiology of pest and beneficial insects. His research focuses on developing biochemical markers to monitor the immunocompetence, nutritional status, stress, reproductive fitness of insects used for biological control. Currently he is studying the role of micronutrients, such as Selenium, in the resistance of pest lepidopterans to baculoviruses and parasitoids.

SUPPORT SCIENTISTS

CYNTHIA LENZ GOODMAN is an Entomologist at the USDA/ARS Biological Control of Insects Research Laboratory. Her research interests are primarily in insect physiology with an emphasis on how insects respond to and interact with their environment at both the cellular and whole organismal level. This includes studying the responses of insects and their cells to selected biochemicals (in order to determine their physiological importance) or to insect pathogens (in order to optimize their use as biocontrol agents). She holds a Research Assistant Professor appointment in the Department of Entomology at the University of Missouri.

     
Last Modified: 03/21/2012