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Invasion Science Research Institute

Invasion Science Research Institute

Seed Funded Projects

Our seed funding scheme aims to support innovative research and build new cross-disciplinary teams amongst our affiliates. Here we highlight the newly awarded projects from our 2023 funding call.

Title: Invasive lizard-mediated risk of mosquito-borne pathogen transmission

Principal investigator: Nathan Burkett-Cadena, PhD

Entomology and Nematology Department

Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory (FMEL)

College of Agricultural and Life Sciences

Co-Principal Investigators:

Melissa Miller, PhD; Lawrence Reeves, PhD

Title: IPM Working Group: International BEACONS (Biodiversity Enhancement and Control of Non-native Species)

Principal investigator: Yoosook Lee, PhD

Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory (FMEL)

Co-Principal Investigators:

Lindsay Campbell, PhD; Carey Minteer, PhD; Nicole, PhD

 

Title: Testing the theory of parasite accumulation as a modulator of long-term invasion impact on the Atlantic blue crab invasion of the Mediterranean Sea

Principal investigator: Donald C. Behringer, PhD

Behringer Lab: Marine and Disease Ecology

Co-Principal Investigators:

Lindsey Reisinger, PhD; Sadie Ryan, PhD

 

Title: A novel harmonic radar system for tracking invasive insect species 

Principal investigator: Norman C. Leppla, PhD

Integrated Pest Management (UF)

Co-Principal investigator: 

Tan Wong (Electrical and Computer Engineering) 

Jasmeet Judge (Agricultural and Biological Engineering) 

Isaac Esquivel (Entomology and Nematology) 

Marcelo Wallau (Agronomy) 

Graduate students: 

David Greene (Electrical and Computer Engineering, Ph.D. student) 

William Piwowarek (Entomology and Nematology) 

 

Title: Utilizing novel molecular technology for eDNA analysis to improve surveillance and monitoring of invasive reptiles 

Principal investigator: Brian W. Bahder, PhD

Vector Entomology Lab

Co-Principal investigator:

Frank Mazzotti, PhD; Melissa Miller, PhD; Sergio Balaguera Reina, PhD

 

Title: Developing artificial intelligence tools for monitoring vertebrate invasions in Florida

Principal Investigator: Marcus Lashley, PhD

Co-Principal Investigator:

Hance Ellington, PhD 

Key Collaborators: 

David Mason, WEC UF; Raoul Boughton, The Mosaic Company

 

Title: When biotas collide: How do interactions between native biotas and exotic/invasive species alter coexistence patterns in regional biotas?

PI: Mathew Leibold, PhD

Key Collaborators:

Benjamin Baiser, Robert Holt, Zachary Siders, BingKan Xue,