Congratulations to Chandrima on successfully defending her MS thesis! To her research she brought rigor, depth and field-tested expertise from over six years as a District Entomologist with the Government of West Bengal. In the Polak Lab she focused on nutritional and genetic effects on […]
Three members of the lab attending the Midwest Drosophila Conference in Monticello, IL, October 24-25, 2025. A powerhouse team that presented their research on the behavioral and genetic basis of fly responses to naturally co-occurring ectoparasitic mites. Beautiful fall weather was a fitting backdrop for […]
Vishva Patel took home this prestigious award at the University of Cincinnati Undergraduate Scholarly Showcase in April 2025 — a terrific and well-deserved accomplishment! Vishva bridged fly exercise physiology, nutrigenomics and human health in a way that resonated across disciplines and impressed judges. She graduated […]
Proud mentor moment! Congratulations to Ahsley Webster for defending her MS thesis on ectoparasites of insects. Her dedication and stellar presentation skills truly shone today. Excited to see where her research journey with avian hosts takes her next.
Water levels were high on this particular day, meaning water was muddy yet the paddling exciting through the riffles, which admittedly were still not frequent enough. Nevertheless, we honed our strokes, mastered slipping in and out of eddies, and trained to chart a course through […]
SCIENCE DAY open to the public featured socially distanced activities at open-air stations scattered across the grounds of the University of Cincinnati’s Field Station at Miami Whitewater Park, Ohio. Ashley presented the lab’s research on mites and flies on May 8, 2021, which also turned […]
Congratulations to Alicia Cleaver, Polak Lab alumna, who’s recently been notified of her acceptance to veterinary school! In Alicia’s own words…: “Just wanted to share the good news- I will be attending Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine starting this fall. Thank you so […]
As this parasitic mite in the genus Gamasodes feasts on fly “blood,” it induces a cascade of host immune genes while altering ejaculate characteristics. The question, therefore, now is whether parasitized males express compromised competitive fertilization success. The article, published in Parasitology, discovers new targets […]