Comprehensive Molecular Insect Science

Lawrence I. Gilbert is William Rand Kenan jr. Professor of Biology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He has served on many national and international committees in the areas of insectbiochemistry, physiology and more recently, molecular biology. Dr. Gilbert has been the author or coauthor of about 300 research publications and books and has received many awards for his professional work. These include the Lifetime Mentor Award of the American Assn. for the Advancement of Science, the Gregor Mendel Award from the Czech Academy of Sciences, the Jefferson Award (highest award given by the University of North Carolina, and is an elected fellow of the American Academy for Arts and Sciences, the Entomological Society of America and the AAAS. During his career he has mentored 34 doctoral students and 55 post-doctoral associates and visiting scholars. His research has been continually supported by grants from NIH and/or NSF. Kostas Iatrou is the Director of the "Insect Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology" Research Group at the Institute of Biology, NCSR "Demokritos" and an adjunct Professor of the University of Calgary. He is the former Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Canada and Director of the Institute of Biology, National Institute of Scientific Research "Demokritos", Athens Greece. His major research interests are in the areas of insect cell differentiation, development and reproduction. His parallel research activities include the development of insect, insect cell and insect virus-based functional genomics tools and technologies that can be used for a wide variety of biotechnological applications impacting on the fields of insect pest control human disease treatment. Sarjeet S. Gill is Professor of Cell Biology in the Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience at the University of California, Riverside, and Entomologist in the Agricultural Experimental Station on the same campus. His research interests are in biochemistry, molecular biology and insect toxicology, with a focus on mechanisms of bacterial and viral pathogenesis, and the role of the midgut and Malpighian tubules in insect homeostasis. Dr. Gill's research also employs the use of whole genome tools to analyze gene function. His research has been continually funded through the NIH and USDA, he continues to serve on national and international committees related to his research interests, and is an elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.