Dr. Aparna Telang

Assistant Professor of Biology
B-323 Gottwald Science Center
Office: (804) 484-1623
Fax: (804) 289-8233

Research:
Mosquitoes are major vectors of pathogens that cause human diseases. My research focuses on nutritional physiology because the ability of mosquitoes to grow, develop, and successfully produce eggs is nutrient limited. One set of studies in my lab seeks to explain how the fat body and other tissues convey information about nutrient levels to the nervous system that then coordinates hormone production for important processes such as metamorphosis, vitellogenesis and egg maturation in mosquitoes. A complimentary aspect of effective disease intervention is suppression of the vector. Another set of studies in my lab seeks to predict distribution of disease risk by characterizing, not only where and when adult mosquitoes will emerge, but which larval habitats produce competent vectors. Students collaborating with me should expect to gain skills in organism biology, biochemistry, physiology and molecular biology.

Education:
Ph.D., University of Arizona

Selected Publications:
Telang, A., L. Frame and M.R. Brown. 2007. Larval feeding duration affects ecdysteroid levels and nutritional reserves regulating pupal commitment in the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae). The Journal of Experimental Biology 210: 854-864.

Telang, A., Y. Li, F.G. Noriega and M.R. Brown. 2006. Effects of larval nutrition on the endocrinology of mosquito egg development. The Journal of Experimental Biology 209: 645-655.

Telang, A. and M.A. Wells. 2004. The effect of larval and adult nutrition on successful autogenous egg production. Journal of Insect Physiology 50: 677-685.

Awards:
National Institutes of Health/NIAID, Research Scholar Development Award (K22), "Nutritional and endocrine control of mosquito egg development", 2007.