Jason L Rasgon, Ph.D.

WEBSITE: RASGONLAB.COM

The Rasgon Laboratory integrates population biology, ecology, molecular tools and theory to address fundamental and applied questions related to vector arthropods and the pathogens they transmit, with emphasis on release of genetically-modified mosquitoes for disease control, pathogen transmission dynamics and bioterrorism issues.

My broad research interests are in the relationship between the genetics of vector populations and the epidemiology of vector-borne pathogens. I address this broad question using both top-down and bottom-up approaches. Specifically, I am interested in 1) how natural genetic variation in wild vector populations conditions phenotypic variation in pathogen transmission and 2) how natural genetic variation in wild vector populations can be artificially altered to have a directed effect on pathogen transmission dynamics.

A major research focus of my laboratory is the development, evaluation and deployment of methods to spread introduced transgenes into natural vector populations. Ongoing projects include creation of methods to infect the mosquito Anopheles gambiae with the bacterial endosymbiont Wolbachia, development of viral-based systems for gene expression and drive in Anopheles mosquitoes and studies of the relationship between ecological factors and the success of transgenic mosquito releases. Other major questions under investigation include examining relationships between vector population genetic structure and the epidemiology of vector-borne pathogens, using Culex tarsalis and West Nile virus as a model system.

I am looking for motivated people who are interested in applying a wide array of integrated techniques to investigate these important and exciting questions.

Lab Members and Affiliates:

Lab Manager

Francine McCullough

Post-doctoral Researchers

Dr. Gerard Terredas 

Dr. Eunho Suh

Dr. Jovana Bozic

Dr.Travis van Warmerdam

PhD students

Rachel Krizek

Renuka Joseph

Brittany Chapman

Jaime Manzano Alvarez

Insectary technicians:

Amelia Roma

Heather Engler

Undergraduates

Jasmine Mackley

Abigail Greb

Lab Alumni

Dr. Becky Johnson (PhD 2021)

Dr. Karen Kemirembe (PhD 2020)

Dr. Duverney Chaverra Rodriguez (PhD 2018)

Dr. Cory Henderson (PhD 2021)

Dr. Allyson Ray (PhD 2022)

Dr. Sujit Pujhari (Currently Assistant Professor and Core Director, University of South Carolina Medical School)

Dr. Vanessa Macias (Currently Assistant Professor, University of North Texas)

Dr. Marco Brustolin (Currently Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp)

Dr. Rong Ma (Co-advised with Christina Grozinger)

Dr. Donghun “Andy" Kim (Currently Assistant Professor, Kyungpook National University)

Dr. Chan Heu (Currently postdoc, USDA)

Dr. Nadya Urakova (Currently Senior Researcher, Leiden University Medical Center)

Dr. Brittany Dodson (PhD 2018)

Dr. Masashi Nomura (Sabbatical 2016-2017)

Dr. Grant Hughes [postdoc] (currently Assistant Professor, University of Texas Medical Branch)

Dr. Yasutsugu Suzuki [postdoc] (Currently postdoc, Institut Pasteur)

Dr. Long Cui [postdoc] (Industry)

Dr. Xioxia Ren [postdoc] (Industry)

Dr. Chaoyang Jin (Currently postdoc, Canada's Michael Smith Genome Center)

Dr. Guodong Niu [postdoc] (currently postdoc, University of Oklahoma)

Dr. Hitoshi Tsujimoto [postdoc] (currently postdoc, New Mexico State University)

Dr. Tapan Barik [postdoc] (currently Assistant Professor, Berhampur University, India)

Dr. Xing Zhang [postdoc] (currently Associate Professor, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

Dr. Song Chen [postdoc] (Industry)

Dr. Olugbenga Oluwagbemi [PhD 2012] (currently Senior Lecturer, Federal University Lokoja, Nigeria)

Dr. Meera Venkatesan [PhD 2008] (currently Senior malaria technical advisor, USAID)

Dr. Katie Provost Javier [PhD 2012] (Industry)

Dr. Courtney Gamston [MS 2007] (currently Discipline Chair for Pharmacology, Auburn University)

Justine Alexander

Active External Funding

1645331 (NSF/BIO) 2017-2023. IOS EDGE: Accelerating arthropod genetic manipulation through ReMOT Control. (Role: PI)

R01AI128201 (NIH/NIAID) 2017-2024. Gene delivery for Anopheles mosquitoes. (Role: PI)

R01AI150251 (NIH/NIAID) 2019-2015. Hologenomic basis of WNV vector competence in Culex tarsalis (Role: PI)

R01AI151166 (NIH/NIAID) 2020-2025. Metabolic basis of mosquito-endosymbiont-virus interactions (Role: Co-I)

R01AI148551 (NIH/NIAID) 2020-2025. Mosquito hydration status as a mechanism that alters pre-feeding host interactions and post-feeding physiology (Role: Co-I)

Publications

In review

144. Dodson BL, Pujhari S, Brustolin M, Metz HC, Rasgon JL. Variable effects of Wolbachia on alphavirus infection in Aedes aegypti. Journal of General Virology. In review.

143. Pujhari S, Heu CC, Brustolin M, Johnson RM, Kim D, Rasgon JL. 2023. Sindbis virus is suppressed in the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti by ATG-6/Beclin-1 mediated activation of autophagy. Autophagy. In review.

142. Terradas G, Rasgon JL. The expansion of Receptor-Mediated Ovary Transduction of Cargo (ReMOT Control): 5 Years later.  2023. In review.

141. Ray AM, Gordon EC, Seeley TD, Rasgon JL, Grozinger CM. 2023. Signatures of adaptive decreased virulence of deformed wing virus in an isolated population of wild honey bees (Apis mellifera). In review.

140. Urakova N, Joseph RE, Huntsinger A, Macias VM, Jones MJ, Sigle LT, Li M, Akbari OS, Xi Z, Lymperopoulos K, Sayre RT, McGraw EA, Rasgon JL. 2023. Alpha-mannosidase-2 modulates arbovirus infection in a pathogen- and Wolbachia-specific manner in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. In review.

In press

139. Joseph RE, Urakova N, Werling KL, Metz HC, Monanari K, Rasgon JL. 2023. Culex tarsalis is a competent host of the insect-specific alphavirus Eilat virus (EILV). Journal of Virology. In press.

Published

138. Tsujimoto H, Metz H, Smith AA, Sakamoto JM, Pal U, Rasgon JL. 2023. Function and evolution of aquaporin IsAQP1 in the Lyme disease vector Ixodes scapularis.Insect Molecular Biology. Online ahead of print doi: 10.1111/imb.12833.

137. Brustolin M, Pujhari S, Henderson CA, Kim D, Rasgon JL. 2023. In vitro and in vivo co-infection and super-infection dynamics of Mayaro and Zika viruses in mosquito and vertebrate backgrounds. Journal of Virology. Online ahead of print e0177822.

136. Asad S, Mehdi AM, Pujhari S, Rückert C, Ebel GD, Rasgon JL. 2022. Identification of microRNAs in the West Nile virus vector Culex tarsalis. Journal of Medical Entomology. Online ahead of print tjac182.

135. Terradas G, Novelo M, Metz HC, Brustolin M, Rasgon JL. 2022. Anopheles albimanus is a potential alphavirus vector in the Americas. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Online ahead of print 10.4269/ajtmh.22-0417.

134. Henderson CA, Kemirembe K, McKeand S, Bergey C, Rasgon JL. 2022. Novel genome assemblies and evolutionary dynamics of North American Anopheles mosquitoes. G3. jkac284.

133. Pujhari S, Brustolin M, Heu CC, Larrosa M, Hafenstein S, Rasgon JL. 2022. Characterization of Mayaro virus (strain BeAn343102) biology in vertebrate and invertebrate cellular backgrounds. Journal of General Virology. 103(1):doi: 10.1099/jgv.0.001794.

132. Henderson CA, Brustolin M, Hedge S, Dayma G, Lau N, Hughes GL, Rasgon JL.  2022. Transcriptomic and small RNA response to Mayaro virus infection in Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases. 16(6):e0010507.

131. Werling KL, Johnson RM, Metz HC, Rasgon JL. 2022. Sexual transmission of Anopheles gambiae densovirus (AgDNV) leads to disseminated infection in mated females. Parasites and Vectors. 15(1):218.

130. Sharma A, Pham MN, Reyes JB, Chana R, Yim WC, Heu CC, Kim D, Chaverra-Rodriguez D, Rasgon JL, Harrell RA, Nuss AB, Gulia-Nuss M. 2022. Cas9-mediated gene-editing in the black-legged tick, Ixodes scapularis, by embryo injection and ReMOT Control. iScience. Online ahead of print 10.1016/j.isci.2022.103781.

129. Sigle LT, Jones M, Novelo M, Ford SF, Urakova N, Lymperopoulos K, Sayre RT, Xi Z, Rasgon JL, McGraw EA. 2022. Candidate Wolbachia-mediated pathogen blocking gene limits viral replication in Aedes aegypti. Insect Molecular Biology. 31: 356-368.

128. Ray AM, Davis SL, Rasgon JL, Grozinger CM. 2021. Simulated vector transmission differentially influences dynamics of two viral variants in honey bees (Apis mellifera). Journal of General Virology. 102: 001687.

127. Kumar S, Hol FJH, Pujhari S, Ellington C, Vaidehi N, Li H, Rasgon JL, Prakash M. 2021. Vectorchip: Microfluidic platform for highly parallel bite by bite profiling of mosquito-borne pathogen transmission. Nature Communications. 12: 6018.

126. Wang GH, Gamez S, Raban R, Marchall JM, Alphey L, Li M, Rasgon JL, Akbari OS. 2021. Combating mosquito-borne pathogens using genetic control technologies. Nature Communications. 12: 4388.

125. Ma Q, Srivastav SP, Gamez S, Feitosa-Suntheimer F, Patterson EI, Johnson RM, Matson E, Gold A, Brackney D, Connor J, Colpitts T, Hughes GL, Rasgon JL, Nolan T, Akbari OS, Lau N. 2021. An integrated mosquito small RNA genomics resource reveals dynamic evolution and host responses to viruses and transposons. Genome Res. 31: 512-528.

124. Macias VM, Palantini U, Bonizzoni M, Rasgon JL. 2021. Leaning into the bite: the piRNA pathway as an exemplar for the genetic engineering need in mosquitoes. Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 10: 614342.

123. Lin P, Chen Y, Chaverra-Rodriguez D, Heu CC, Zainuddin N, Sidhu J, Peiffer M, Tan CW, Helms A, Kim D, Ali J, Rasgon JL, Lynch JP, Anderson C, Felton G. 2021. Silencing the alarm: An insect salivary enzyme closes plant stomata and inhibits volatile release. New Phytologist.230: 793-803.

122. Gallichotte EN, Dobos K, Ebel G, Hagedorn M, Rasgon JL, Richardson J, Stedman T, Barfield JP. 2021. Current State of Cryopreservation of Mosquito Vectors of Human Pathogens. Cryobiology. 99: 1-10.

121. Main BJ, Marcantonio M, Johnston JS, Rasgon JL, Brown CT, Barker CM. 2021. Whole genome assembly of Culex tarsalis. G3. 11: jkaa063.

120. Pujhari S, Paul S, Ahluwalia J, Rasgon JL. 2021. Clotting Disorder in Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2. Reviews in Medical Virology. 6: e2177.

119. Long KC, Alphey  L, Bloss  CS, Campbell  KJ, Champer  J, Chen CH, Choudhary A, Church GM, Collins JP, Cooper KL, Delborne JA,  Edwards OR, Emerson CI, Esvelt K, Evans SW, Friedman RM, Gantz VM, Gould F, Hartley S, Heitman E, Hemingway J, Kanuka H, Kuzma J, Lavery JV, Lee Y, Lunshof JE, Marshall JM, Messer PW, Montell C, Oye KA, Palmer MJ, Papathanos PA, Paradkar PN, Piaggio AJ, Rasgon JL, Rašić G, Rudenko L, Saah JR, Scott MJ, Snow AA, Sutton JT, Vorsino AE, Akbari1 OS. 2020. Core commitments for field trials of gene drive organisms. Science 370: 1417-1419.

118. Chaverra-Rodriguez D, Benetta ED, Heu CC, Rasgon JL, Ferree PM, Akbari OS. 2020. Germline mutagenesis of Nasonia vitripennis through ovarian delivery of CRISPR-Cas9 ribonucleoprotein. Insect Molecular Biology. 29: 569-577.

117. Dalla Benetta E, Chaverra-Rodriguez D, Rasgon JL, Akbari OS. 2020. Pupal and Adult Injections for RNAi and CRISPR Gene Editing in Nasonia vitripennis. J Vis Exp. 4: 166.

116. Dokic S, Anna B, Zurim I , Urakova N, Rasgon JL, Abdu U. 2020. Actin bundles play different role in shaping scale as compare to bristle in mosquito Aedes aegypti. Scientific Reports. 10: 14885.

115. Urakova N, Brustolin M, Joseph RE, Johnson RM, Pujhari S, Rasgon JL. 2020. Anopheles gambiae densovirus (AgDNV) negatively affects Mayaro virus infection in Anopheles gambiae cells and mosquitoes. Parasites and Vectors. 13: 143.

114. Heu CC, McCullough F, Luan J, Rasgon JL. 2020. CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing in the silverleaf whitefly (Bemisia tabaci). CRISPR Journal. 3: 89-96. (Cover article)

113. Pujhari S, Rasgon JL. 2020. Mice with humanized-lungs and immune system – an idealized model for COVID-19 and other respiratory illness. Virulence. 11: 486 – 488.

112. Macias VM, McKeand S, Chaverra-Rodriguez D, Hughes GL, Fazekas A, Pujhari S, Jasinskiene N, James AA, Rasgon JL. 2020. Cas9-mediated gene-editing in the malaria mosquito Anopheles stephensi by ReMOT Control. G3. 4: 1353-1360

111. Pujhari S, Brustolin M, Macias VM, Nissly RH, Nomura M, Kuchipudi SV, Rasgon JL. 2019. Heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) mediates Zika virus entry, replication, and egress from host cells. Emerging Microbes and Infections. 8: 8-16.

110. Johnson RM, Rasgon JL. 2018. Densonucleosis viruses (“densoviruses”) for mosquito and pathogen control. Current Opinion in Insect Science. 28: 90-97.

109. Brustolin M, Pujhari S, Henderson CA, Rasgon JL. 2018. Anopheles mosquitoes may drive invasion and transmission of Mayaro virus across geographically diverse regions. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases. 12: e0006895.

108. Chaverra-Rodriguez D, Macias VM, Hughes GL, Pujhari S, Suzuki Y, Peterson DR, Kim D, McKeand S, Rasgon JL. 2018. Targeted delivery of CRISPR-associated endonuclease 9 (Cas9) into arthropod ovaries for heritable germline gene editing. Nature Communications. 9: 3008.

107. Roberts DF, Fleischer S, Sakamoto JM, Rasgon JL. 2018. Potential biological control of Erwinia tracheiphila by internal alimentary canal interactions in Acalymma vittatum with Pseudomonas fluorescens. Journal of Applied Microbiology. 125:1137-1146.

106. Hagan RW Szuter EM, Rosselot AE, Holmes CJ, Siler SC, Rosendale AJ, Hendershot JM, Elliott KSB, Jennings EC, Rizlallah AE, Xiao Y, Watanabe M, Romick-Rosendale LE, Rasgon JL, Benoit JB. 2018. Dehydration bouts prompt increased activity and blood feeding by mosquitoes.  Scientific Reports. 8:6804.

105. Dodson BL, Pujhari S, Rasgon JL. 2018. Vector competence of selected North American Anopheles and Culex mosquitoes for Zika virus. PeerJ. 6:e4324.

104. Dodson BL, Andrews ES, Turell MJ, Rasgon JL. 2017. Wolbachia effects on Rift Valley Fever virus infection in Culex tarsalis. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases. 11:e0006050

103. Bassat Q, Birkett A, Bompart F, Burt A, Chaccour C, Chitnis C, Culpepper J, Domingo G, Duffy P, Ghani A, Greenwood B, Hall BF, Hamon N, Jacobs-Lorena M, James S, Kaslow D C, Koram K A, Kremsner P, Kumar A, Leroy D, Leroy O, Lindsay S, Majambere S, Mbogo C, McCarthy J, Okumu F, Qi G, Rasgon J, Rabinovich R, Richardson J, Richie T, Sauerwein R, Slutsker L, Vekemans J, Wells TNC. 2017. malERA: An updated research agenda for diagnostics, drugs, vaccines, and vector control in malaria elimination and eradication. PLoS Medicine. 14:e1002455

102. Macias VM, Ohm JR, Rasgon JL. 2017. Gene drive for mosquito control: where did it come from and where are we headed? International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 14:1006.

101. Tsujimoto H, Sakamoto JM, Rasgon JL. Novel functions for Aquaporin-like genes in the human bed bug Cimex lectularius. Scientific Reports 7:3214.

100. Dodson BL, Rasgon JL. 2017. Vector competence of Anopheles and Culex mosquitoes for Zika virus. PeerJ. 5:e3096.

99. Barik TK, Suzuki Y, Rasgon JL. 2016. Factors influencing infection and transmission of Anopheles gambiae densovirus (AgDNV) in mosquitoes. PeerJ. 4:e2691.

98. Sakamoto JM. Fei Fan Ng T, Suzuki Y, Tsujimoto H, Deng X, Delwart E, Rasgon JL. 2016. Bunyaviruses are common in male and female Ixodes scapularis ticks in central Pennsylvania. PeerJ. 4: e2324.

97. Liu K, Tsujimoto H, Huang Y, Rasgon JL*, Agre P. 2016. Aquaglyceroporin function in the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae. Biology of the Cell.108: 295-305. *corresponding author (Cover article)

96. Pujhari S, Rasgon JL, Zakhartchouk An. 2016. Anti-apoptosis in Porcine Respiratory and Reproductive Syndrome Virus. Virulence. 7: 610-611.

95. Lindsey AR, Bordenstein SR, Newton IL, Rasgon JL. 2016. Wolbachia pipientis should not be split into multiple species. Systematic and Applied Microbiology. 39: 220-222.

94. Hughes GL, Raygoza Garay JA, Rasgon JL*, Mwangi MM. 2016. Genome Sequence of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia strain SmAs1 isolated from the Asian Malaria Mosquito Anopheles stephensi.  Genome Announcements. 4: e00086-16. *corresponding author

93. Hughes GL, Raygoza Garay JA, Rasgon JL*, Mwangi MM. 2016. Genome Sequences of Staphylococcus hominis strains ShAs1, ShAs2 and ShAs3 isolated from the Asian Malaria Mosquito Anopheles stephensi.Genome Announcements. 4: e00085-16. *corresponding author

92. Raygoza Garay JA, Hughes GL, Rasgon JL*, Mwangi MM. 2016. Genome Sequences of Elizabethkingia anophelis strain EaAs1 isolated from the Asian Malaria Mosquito Anopheles stephensi. Genome Announcements. 4: e00084-16. *corresponding author

91. Henning TC, Orr JM, Smith JD, Arias JR, Rasgon JL, Norris DE. 2016. Discovery of Filarial Nematode DNA in Amblyomma americanum in Northern Virginia. Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases. 7: 315-318.

89. Hegde S, Rasgon JL, Hughes GL. 2015. The microbiome modulates arbovirus transmission in mosquitoes. Current Opinion in Virology. 15: 97-102.

89. Suzuki Y, Barik TK, Johnson RM, Rasgon JL. 2015. In vitro and in vivo host range of Anopheles gambiae densovirus (AgDNV). Scientific Reports. 5: 12701.

88. Adebiyi M, Ogunlana O, Adebiyi E, Fatumo S, Rasgon JL. 2015. The Anopheles gambiae insecticidal targets made bare by in-silica analysis. Proceedings of the International Conference on African Development Issues (CU-ICADI) 2015: Biotechnology and Bioinformatics Track. pp. 32-39.

87. Hughes GL, Dodson BL, Johnson RM, Murdock CC, Tsuijimoto H, Suzuki Y, Patt AA, Cui L, Nossa CW, Barry RM, Sakamoto JM, Hornett EA, Rasgon JL. 2014. Native microbiome impedes vertical transmission of Wolbachia in Anopheles mosquitoes. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA. 111: 12498-12503.

86. Ren X, Hughes GL, Niu G, Suzuki Y, Rasgon JL. 2014. Anopheles gambiae densovirus (AgDNV) has negligible effects on adult survival and transcriptome of its mosquito host. PeerJ. 2: e584.

85. Hughes GL, Rivero A, Rasgon JL. 2014. Wolbachia can enhance Plasmodium infection in mosquitoes: Implications for malaria control? PLoS Pathogens. 10: e1004182.

84. Sakamoto JM, Goddard J, Rasgon JL. 2014. Population and demographic structure of Ixodes scapularis Say in the eastern United States. PLoS ONE. 9: e101389.

83. Dodson BL, Hughes GL, Paul O, Matacchiero AC, Kramer LD, Rasgon JL. 2014. Wolbachia enhances West Nile virus (WNV) infection in the mosquito Culex tarsalis. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases. 8: e2965.

82. Suzuki Y, Niu G, Hughes GL, Rasgon JL. 2014. A viral over-expression system for the major malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae. Scientific Reports. 4: 5127.

81. Hughes GL, Samuels SK, Shaikh K, Rasgon JL, Vardo-Zalik AM. 2014. Discrimination of the Plasmodium mexicanum vectors Lutzomyia stewarti and Lutzomyia vexator by a PCR-RFLP assay and Wolbachia infections. Journal of Vector Ecology. 39: 224-227.

80. Chen S, Rasgon JL. 2014. Culex tarsalis vitellogenin gene promoters investigated in silico and in vivo using transgenic Drosophila melanogaster. PLoS ONE. 9: e88994.

79. Provost-Javier KN, Rasgon JL. 2014. 20-hydroxyecdysone mediates non-canonical regulation of mosquito vitellogenins through alternative splicing. Insect Molecular Biology. 23: 407-416.

78. Murdock CC, Hughes GL, Rasgon JL, Thomas MB. 2014. Environmental temperature alters malaria transmission blocking by Wolbachia. Scientific Reports 4: 3932.

77. Hughes GL, Rasgon JL. 2014. Transinfection: a method to investigate Wolbachia-host interactions and control arthropod-borne disease. Insect Molecular Biology. 23: 141-51.

76. Bourtzis K, Dobson S, Xi Z, Rasgon JL, Calviti M, Moreira LA, Bossin H, Moretti R, Baton LA, Hughes GL, Mavingui P, Gilles J. 2014. Harnessing Mosquito-Wolbachia Symbiosis for vector and disease control. Acta Tropica. 132S: S150-63.

75. Liu K, Dong Y, Huang Y, Rasgon JL, Agre P. 2013. Impact of trehalose transporter knockdown on Anopheles gambiae stress adaptation and susceptibility to Plasmodium falciparum infection. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA. 110: 17504 – 17509.

74. Smith RC, Kizito CM, Rasgon JL, Jacobs-Lorena M. 2013. Malaria-resistant mosquitoes have a fitness advantage when fed Plasmodium falciparum-infected blood. PLoS ONE.  8: e76097.

73. Tsujimoto H, Liu K, Linser PJ, Agre P, Rasgon JL. 2013. Organ-specific splice variants of aquaporin AgAQP1 in the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae. PLoS ONE. 8: e75888.

72. Oluwagbemi OO, Fornadel CM, Adebiyi EF, Norris DE, Rasgon JL. 2013. ANOSPEX: A stochastic spatially explicit model for studying Anopheles metapopulation dynamics. PLoS ONE. 8: e68040.

71. M Adebiyi, Oghuan J, Fatumo S, Adebiyi E, Rasgon J. 2013. A functional workbench for Anopheles gambiae micro array analysis. Proceedings of the UKSim-AMSS Seventh European Modeling Symposium on Computer Modelling and Simulation (EMS 2013). 138-143.

70. Rasgon JL. 2012. Wolbachia and the Culex pipiens species complex. Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association. 28(4s): 122.

69. Dodson BL, Kramer LD, Rasgon JL. 2012. Effects of larval rearing temperature on immature development and West Nile virus vector competence of Culex tarsalis. Parasites and Vectors. 5: 199.

68. Leek JT, Taub MA, Rasgon JL. 2012. A statistical approach to selecting and confirming validation targets in -omics experiments. BMC Bioinformatics. 13: 150.

67. Hughes GL, Pike AD, Xue P, Rasgon JL. 2012. Invasion of Wolbachia into Anopheles and other insect germlines in an ex vivo organ culture system. PLoS ONE. 7: e36277.

66. Rasgon JL. 2012. Wolbachia induces male-specific mortality in the mosquito Culex pipiens (LIN strain). PLoS ONE. 7: e30381.

65. Hughes GL, Vega-Rodriguez J, Xue P, Rasgon JL. 2012. Wolbachia strain wAlbB enhances infection by the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei in Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 78: 1491-1495.

64. Zhang X, Ren X, Norris DE, Rasgon JL.  2012. Distribution and infection frequency of Candidatus Rickettsia amblyommii in Maryland populations of the lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum), and culture in an Anopheles gambiae mosquito cell line. Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases. 3: 38-42.

63. Rasgon JL. 2011. Mosquitoes attacked from within. Nature. 476: 407-408.

62. Foy BD, Kobylinski KC, da Silva IM, Rasgon JL, Sylla M. 2011. Endectocides for malaria control. Trends in Parasitology. 10: 423-428.

61. Dodson BL, Kramer LD, Rasgon JL. 2011. Larval nutritional stress does not affect vector competence for West Nile virus (WNV) in Culex tarsalis. Vector-borne and Zoonotic Diseases. 11: 1493-1497.

60. Rasgon JL. Using infections to fight infections:  Paratransgenic fungi can block malaria transmission in mosquitoes. 2011. Future Microbiology. 6: 851-853.

59. Zhang X, Norris DE, Rasgon JL.  2011. Molecular characterization of Wolbachia endosymbionts and filarial nematodes in Maryland populations of the lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum). FEMS Microbiology Ecology. 77:50-56.

58. Hughes GL, Koga R, Xue P, Fukatsu T, Rasgon JL. 2011. Wolbachia infections are virulent and inhibit the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum in Anopheles gambiae. PLoS Pathogens. 7: e1002043. (May 2011 issue Cover Article)

57. Liu K, Tsujimoto H, Cha S, Agre P, Rasgon JL. 2011. Aquaporin water channel AgAQP1 in the malaria vector mosquito Anopheles gambiae during blood-feeding and humidity adaptation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA. 108: 6062-6066

56. Hughes GL, Ren X, Ramirez JL, Sakamoto JM, Bailey JA, Jedlicka AE, Rasgon JL. 2011. Wolbachia infections in Anopheles gambiae cells: transcriptomic characterization of a novel host-symbiont interaction. PLoS Pathogens. 7: e1001296.

55. The malERA Consultative Group on Basic Science and Enabling Technologies (30 authors, including Rasgon J). 2011. A Research Agenda for Malaria Eradication: Basic Science and Enabling Technologies. PLoS Medicine. 8: e1000399.

54. Sylla M, Kobylinski KC, Gray M, Chapman P, Sarr MD, Rasgon JL, Foy BD. 2010. Mass drug administration of ivermectin in south-eastern Senegal reduces the survivorship of wild-caught, blood fed malaria vectors. Malaria Journal. 9: 365.

53. Ren X, Rasgon JL. 2010. Potential for the Anopheles gambiae densonucleosis virus (AgDNV) to act as an “evolution proof” biopesticide. Journal of Virology. 84: 7726-7729.

52. Chen S, Armistead J, Provost-Javier K, Sakamoto JM, Rasgon JL. 2010. Duplication, concerted evolution and purifying selection drive the evolution of mosquito vitellogenin genes. BMC Evolutionary Biology. 10: 142.

51. Provost-Javier KN, Chen S, Rasgon JL. 2010. Vitellogenin gene expression in autogenous Culex tarsalis. Insect Molecular Biology. 19: 423-429.

50. Venkatesan M, Rasgon JL. 2010.  Population genetic data suggest a role for mosquito-mediated dispersal of West Nile virus across the western United States. Molecular Ecology. 19: 1573–1584.

49. Arik AJ, Rasgon JL, Quicke KM, Riehle MA. 2009. Manipulating insulin signaling to enhance mosquito reproduction. BMC Physiology. 9: 15.

48. Rasgon JL. 2009. Multi-locus assortment (MLA) for transgene dispersal and elimination in mosquito populations. PLoS ONE 4: e5833.

47. Venkatesan M, Broman KW, Sellers M, Rasgon JL. 2009. An initial linkage map of the West Nile Virus vector Culex tarsalis. Insect Molecular Biology. 18: 453-463.

46. Jin C, Ren X, Rasgon JL. 2009. The virulent Wolbachia strain wMelPop efficiently establishes somatic infections in the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 75: 3373-3376.

45. Ren X, Hoiczyk E, Rasgon JL. 2008. Viral paratransgenesis in the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae. PLoS Pathogens, 4: e1000135. Featured in Faculty of 1000 Biology and Faculty of 1000 Medicine.

44. Wong J, Tripet F, Rasgon JL, Lanzaro GC, Scott TW. 2008. SSCP analysis of scnDNA for genetic profiling of Aedes aegypti. Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg., 79: 511-517.

43. Billingsley PF, Foy B, Rasgon JL. 2008. Mosquitocidal vaccines: a neglected addition to malaria and dengue control strategies. Trends in Parasitology, 24: 396-400.

42. Rasgon JL. 2008. Stable isotope analysis can potentially identify completely-digested bloodmeals in mosquitoes. PLoS ONE 3: e2198.

41. Rasgon JL. 2008. Using predictive models to optimize Wolbachia-based strategies for vector-borne disease control. Adv. Exp. Med. Biol. 627: 114-125.

40. Marrelli M, Li C, Rasgon JL, Jacobs-Lorena M. 2007. Transgenic malaria-resistant mosquitoes have a fitness advantage when feeding on Plasmodium-infected blood. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 104: 5580-5583. Featured in Faculty of 1000 Biology and Faculty of 1000 Medicine.

39. Venkatesan M, Westbrook CJ, Hauer MC, Rasgon JL. 2007. Evidence for a population expansion in the West Nile virus vector Culex tarsalis. Mol. Biol. Evol. 24: 1208-1218.

38. Venkatesan M, Hauer MC, Rasgon JL. 2007. Using fluorescently-labeled M13-tailed primers to isolate 45 novel microsatellite loci from the arboviral vector Culex tarsalis. Med. Vet. Entomol. 21: 204-208.

37. Rasgon J. 2007. Population Replacement Strategies for Controlling Vector Populations and the Use of Wolbachia pipientis for Genetic Drive. J. Vis. Exp. 5: 225.

36. Gamston C, Rasgon J. 2007. Maintaining Wolbachia in Cell-free Medium. J. Vis. Exp. 5: 223.

35. Rasgon JL, Ren X, Petridis M. 2006. Can Anopheles gambiae be infected with Wolbachia pipientis? Insights from an in vitro system. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 72: 7718-7722.

34. Rasgon JL, Gamston C, Ren X. 2006. Survival of Wolbachia pipientis in cell-free medium. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 72: 6934-6937.

33. Rasgon JL, Cornel AJ, Scott TW. 2006. Evolutionary history of a mosquito endosymbiont revealed through mitochondrial hitchhiking. Proc. R. Soc. B. 273: 1603-1611.

32. Sakamoto JM, Feinstein J, Rasgon JL. 2006. Wolbachia infections in the Cimicidae: Museum specimens as an untapped resource for endosymbiont surveys. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 72: 3161-3167.

31. Rasgon JL, Venkatesan M, Westbrook CJ, Hauer MC. 2006. Polymorphic microsatellite loci from the West Nile virus vector Culex tarsalis. Mol. Ecol. Notes. 6: 680-682.

30. Sakamoto JM, Rasgon JL. 2006. Geographic distribution of Wolbachia infections in Cimex lectularius L. (Heteroptera: Cimicidae). J. Med. Entomol. 43: 696-700.

29. Sakamoto JM, Rasgon JL. 2006. Endosymbiotic bacteria of bed bugs: Evolution, ecology and genetics. Amer. Entomol. 52: 119-122.

28. Rasgon JL, Gould F. 2005. Transposable element insertion location bias and the dynamics of gene drive in mosquito populations. Insect Mol. Biol. 14: 493-500.

27. Rasgon JL, Styer LM, Minnick SL. 2005. Traditional vector control research should receive higher priority than transgenic efforts to control vector-borne diseases: Con position. Amer. Entomol. 51: 108.

26. Rasgon JL, Styer LM, Minnick SL. 2005. The federal government should support the use of pesticides previously banned in the United States to fight vector-borne diseases in developing countries. Amer. Entomol. 51: 110-111.

25. Rasgon JL, Scott TW. 2004. Phylogenetic Characterization of Wolbachia Symbionts Infecting Cimex lectularius L. and Oeciacus vicarius Horvath (Hemiptera: Cimicidae). J. Med. Entomol. 41: 1175-1178.

24. Rasgon JL, Scott TW. 2004. Crimson: A novel sex-linked eye color mutant of Culex pipiens L. (Diptera: Culicidae). J. Med. Entomol. 41: 385-391.

23. Rasgon JL, Scott TW. 2004. Impact of population age structure on Wolbachia transgene driver efficacy: Ecologically complex factors and release of genetically-modified mosquitoes. Insect Biochem. Mol. Biol. 34: 707-713.

22. Rasgon JL, Scott TW. 2004. An initial survey for Wolbachia (Rickettsiales: Rickettsiaceae) infection in selected California mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae). J. Med. Entomol. 41: 255-257.

21. Rasgon JL, Scott TW. 2003. Wolbachia and cytoplasmic incompatibility in the California Culex pipiens mosquito species complex: Parameter estimates and infection dynamics in natural populations. Genetics 165: 2029-2038.

20. Rasgon JL, Styer LM, Scott TW. 2003. Wolbachia-induced mortality as a mechanism to modulate pathogen transmission by vector arthropods. J. Med. Entomol. 40: 125-132.

19. Cornel AJ, McAbee RD, Rasgon J, Stanich MA, Scott TW, Coetze M, 2003. Differences in extent of genetic introgression between sympatric Culex pipiens and Culex quinquefasciatus in California and South Africa. J. Med. Entomol. 40: 36-51.

18. Rasgon JL. 2003. Population subdivision can help or hinder Wolbachia introductions into vector populations. Proc. Mosq. Vec. Control Assoc. CA 71: 80-86.

17. Rasgon JL. 2000. Geographic distribution of Wolbachia infection in the California Culex pipiens complex: infection frequencies in natural populations. Proc. Mosq. Vec. Control Assoc. CA 68: 75-79.

Book Chapters:

16. Receptor-Mediated Ovary Transduction of Cargo (ReMOT Control): A comprehensive review and detailed protocol for implementation. Terradas G, Macias V, Peterson H, McKeand S, Krawczyk G, Rasgon JL. 2022. In “Transgenic Insects”, Eds. M Scott and M Benedict. CABI Publishers, Wallingford, UK, Ch. 6, 125-148.

15. Hughes G, Rasgon JL. 2012. Wolbachia infections in arthropod hosts.  In  Insect Pathology and Microbial Pest Control, Eds. H Kaya and F Vega. Academic Press (Elsevier), London, UK, Ch. 9, 351-366.

14. Rasgon JL. 2008. Wolbachia and Anopheles mosquitoes. In Insect symbiosis, vol. 3. Eds. K. Bourtzis and T. Miller. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL. Ch. 14, 321-372.

13. Scott TW, Rasgon JL, Black WC IV, Gould F. 2005. Fitness studies: developing a consensus methodology, in Bridging laboratory and field research for genetic control of disease vectors, eds. Knols BGJ and Louis C. Frontis, Wageningen, The Netherlands, Ch. 16, 171-181.

Popular media and scientific outreach publications:

12. Rasgon J. 2020. More dengue fever and less malaria – mosquito control strategies may need to shift as Africa heats up. The Conversation.

11. Rasgon J. 2018. Genetically modified mosquitoes may be best weapon for curbing disease transmission. The Conversation.

10. Rasgon J. 2016. Fighting More Than A Virus: Conspiracy theories could hamper control of Zika. Penn State Ag Science Magazine, Spring/Summer 2016.

9. Dunning-Hotopp JC, Rasgon JL. 2008. Bacterial sequences in an invertebrate genome. Microbiology Today. Nov: 176-179.

Technical reports:

8. Scott T, Rasgon J. 2003. Animal diseases: Vector-borne. Diseases Significant to a Biological Threat Emergency Response System: Model assessment technical report. Section 1B, pp. 64-82.

7. Scott T, Rasgon J, Oltjen J. 2003.  Ticks and insect pests.  Diseases Significant to a Biological Threat Emergency Response System: Model assessment technical report. Section 2, pp. 83-93.

6. Rasgon JL, Scott TW, 2001. Wolbachia diversity in California mosquitoes.

Mosquito Control Research, 77-78.

5. Rasgon JL, Scott TW, 2000. Short-term fluctuation of Wolbachia infection in California mosquitoes. Mosquito Control Research, 77-80.

4. Scott TW, Rasgon JL, Cornel A, Turelli M, 2000. Biology of Wolbachia infection in California Culex mosquitoes - second year progress report. Mosquito Control Research, 26-33.

3. Rasgon JL, Scott TW, 1999. Evaluation of a dot-blot assay for detecting Wolbachia infection in mosquitoes. Mosquito Control Research, 81-84.

2. Scott TW, Rasgon JL, Cornel A, Turelli M, 1999. Biology of Wolbachia infection in California Culex mosquitoes. - first year progress report. Mosquito Control Research, 56-60.

Preprints:

1. Pujhari S and Rasgon JL. 2016. Zika virus: A newly emergent vector-borne public health threat in the Americas. PeerJ PrePrints 4: e1781v1