portrait of Nar Ranabhat in the lab

EPP Welcomes Nar Ranabhat at the Soil, Plant and Pest Center

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                                The Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology welcomes Nar Ranabhat as an assistant professor and Extension plant pathologist at the Soil, Plant, and Pest Center located in Nashville, TN. Ranabhat is scheduled to join the team on July 1, 2023. In this role, Ranabhat will specialize in diagnosing and managing diseases of ornamental plants, nursery plants, and turf in commercial and residential, natural, or managed systems. Ranabhat will utilize traditional and innovative tools to educate diverse audiences, ranging from Extension agents to government agencies and agricultural producers. Throughout Ranabhat’s graduate and postdoctoral research, he has worked on employing a range of traditional and advanced

Aedes mosquito on a plant

How Environmental Shifts Can Affect Vector-Borne Illnesses

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                            The publication titled “How Environmental Changes Can Lead to Increased Transmission of Vector-Borne Illnesses,” authored by Associate Professor Rebecca Trout Fryxell in collaboration with Jennifer Richards, an Extension curriculum specialist, Susan Reynolds, a teacher at South Doyle High School, and Lynne Middleton, a State 4-H curriculum specialist, details a MEGA:BITESS lesson plan for middle and high school students. The lesson plan is designed to teach the learner to understand how mosquitoes serve as vectors for transmission of infectious agents causing disease, identity what factors are needed for mosquito oviposition, and observe how changing temperature and precipitation patterns could potentially increase the number of individuals affected by

From Investigating Bollworm Resistance to Navigating Graduate School: Dawson Kerns

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                            Fueled by his upbringing, Dawson Kerns, a doctoral student in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, is dedicated to understanding a major cotton pest, bollworm, and its resistance mechanisms. After receiving a bachelor’s degree in entomology from Texas A&M University and a master’s degree from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Kerns embarked on his Ph.D. journey in 2020 under the guidance of Professors Juan Jurat-Fuentes and Scott Stewart. With a focus on bollworms (Helicoverpa zea), a significant threat to cotton crops, Kerns’ research aims to answer research questions related to insecticidal protein resistance.   Q&A with Dawson Kerns Can you tell me a little bit

Alhagie Cham working in the lab.

Empowering Agriculture through Bioinformatics and Genomics: Alhagie Cham

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                                Alhagie Cham, an accomplished scientist from Gambia, West Africa, developed his passion for agriculture from humble beginnings in a groundnut-growing family. Cham’s passion for agriculture led him to pursue academic excellence. Cham currently serves as a postdoctoral research associate in the Olukolu Lab at the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology. With a focus on bioinformatics, genomics, and molecular interactions, Cham aims to understand the dynamics of plant-pathogen-microbe interactions within agricultural systems.   Q&A with Alhagie Cham Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? My name is Alhagie K. Cham, and I am from Gambia, West Africa. I obtained a BS degree

EPP Welcomes New Assistant Professor at the Soil, Plant and Pest Center

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                                      Please help welcome Dr. Midhula Gireesh to the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology. Gireesh joins the team today, June 1, 2023, as an assistant professor and Extension entomologist at the Soil, Plant and Pest Center in Nashville, TN. In this role, Gireesh will develop an educational program using traditional and innovative outreach tools for diverse audiences and an applied research program focused on insect and mite pests affecting ornamental plants, nursery plants, and turf. The role also involves supporting county Extension agents and specialists, stakeholder groups, and regional and state leaders. Gireesh will also play an important role in the