Dyer – Research Experiences for Undergraduates in the Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Disease

Tricks Not Treats: Wolbachia’s Manipulation of Sex in Infected D. subquinaria Offspring

13JanuaryNikki Solano-Asamoah2022 ProjectsBenchwork, Dyer, Empirical, Wildlife

Madeline Sheppard, a student at Eckerd College, worked in the lab of Dr. Kelly Dyer Abstract Wolbachia is a bacteria that is found in up to 60% of all insects, which is transmitted exclusively from mother to offspring through the egg. In many host species Wolbachia infection does not Wolbachia are gram-negative maternally transmitted bacterial

Wolbachia and its effects on mating preference in two Drosophila species

18SeptemberAndrea Silletti2019 ProjectsDyer, Empirical

Kareena Collins, a students at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, worked with Paul Ginsberg and Dr. Kelly Dyer. Abstract: Wolbachia is a maternally inherited intracellular endosymbiont that can manipulate reproduction in many different species of arthropod hosts, enabling its invasion into novel host populations. The most common types of reproductive manipulation is cytoplasmic incompatibility

Identifying bacterial pathogens in natural Drosophila populations

16AugustAndrea Silletti2018 ProjectsDyer, Empirical

Kailene Richbow Dozier, a junior at Virginia Union University, worked with Dr. Kelly Dyer to examine the pathogens present in wild populations of Drosophila. Abstract: An estimated 70% of the world’s insects are infected with the gram-negative bacteria, Wolbachia pipientis. Wolbachia is known to protect organisms against viral pathogens, however little is known about how

The Battle of the Sperm: Observations of Sperm Competition in a Wolbachia Infected Species

8NovemberAndrea Silletti2017 ProjectsDyer

LaTrice Montgomery, a student from Hampton University, worked with Paul Ginsberg in the lab of Dr. Kelly Dyer to study sperm competition in an infected fly species. Abstract: Wolbachia, a maternally inherited bacterium, is broadly distributed among arthropod hosts. It is also capable of reducing viral load in its host, preventing the transmission of human

Geographic variation of Wolbachia-induced cytoplasmic incompatibility in the fly Drosophila recens

15AugustAndrea Silletti2016 ProjectsDyer, Empirical, Wildlife

Sydney Keane, a Biology and Chemistry major from East Texas Baptist University, worked with Dr. Kelly Dyer examining the effects of infection on reproduction in Drosophila. Abstract: are bacterial parasites that commonly infect arthropods and nematodes. These parasites have damaging effects on the progeny of those they infect, including cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI). CI occurs when

Is the Transmission Rate of The Wolbachia Parasite Lower in Hybrids Compared To Pure Species?

26DecemberJohn Drake2015 ProjectsDyer, Empirical

Jasmine Gipson, from Kennesaw State University, worked with Dr. Kelly Dyer in the UGA Genetics department to study the transmission of Wolbachia, a parasite of insects. Abstract: Wolbachia is an endosymbiont parasite that lives in the reproductive system 70% of all insects. It is passed down vertically to its offspring from the mother. Wolbachia occurs