Justin George

Education
B.S. Agriculture- Kerala Agricultural University, Kerala, India (1999-2003)
M. S. Entomology- University of Kentucky, Lexington, USA (2005-2007)
PhD candidate in Entomology- Pennsylvania State University (2008- present)

Research Interests:
Insect behavior, Chemical ecology, Neurophysiology, Insect-pathogen interactions

Adviser: Dr. Tom Baker

PhD Project: 
My research involves behavioral and elecrophysiological studies on how fungal infection affects mosquito’s olfaction behavior. I use electrophysiological techniques such as electroantennogram, electropalpogram and single sensillum recordings to study the olfaction behavior in mosquitoes. Olfactometer assays are used to study the mosquito’s behavior towards different fungal strains. My research will help to elucidate the olfactory mechanism involved in the development and transmission of plasmodium by the malaria mosquitoes, Anopheles spp. 

Research papers published:
J. George, S. Blanford, M.J. Domingue, M.B. Thomas, A.F. Read and T. C. Baker. Reduction in host-finding behavior in fungus-infected mosquitoes is correlated with reduction in olfactory receptor neuron responsiveness. Malaria Journal 2011 10:219.

Justin George, Carl T. Redmond, Nate Royalty and Daniel A. Potter. Residual Effects of Imidacloprid on Japanese beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) Oviposition, Egg Hatch, and Larval Viability in Turfgrass. J. Econ. Entomol. 100(2): 431-439 (2007).

Justin George and Daniel A. Potter 2007. Potential of Azadirachtin for managing Black Cutworms and Japanese beetle Grubs in Turf. Acta Hort. 783, ISHS 2008

Recent Awards:
Harold Schilling Dean's Graduate Scholarship, Graduate School PSU 2012 ($2500).
Second prize, ESA Student's Competition for President's prize, ESA 2011
Lloyd Adams Memorial Grant-in-Aid Award, PSU June 2011
First Prize, Annual Environmental chemistry Exhibition, PSU April 2011
Pi Chi Omega Scholarship from NPMA ($2000) - June 2010
2nd   prize winner, Penn State Graduate exhibition- April 2010
Katherine Mabis McKenna Fellowship, Penn State University- August 2008