Invasion of the body snatchers: Parasitoid wasps of Drosophila

Parasitoid wasps are a diverse group of species that infect insect hosts. The Venom Biochemistry Lab studies several species of parasitoids that infect the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. These wasps infect fly larvae, laying an egg directly into the host hemocoel and injecting their venom, a complex mixture of proteins. These venom proteins are targeted to host cells, and allow the wasp to hijack host signaling and physiology, including manipulating the host immune response and rewiring host metabolism. The lab takes an integrative approach, using genetics, cell and molecular biology, biochemistry, and biophysical techniques to investigate the function of venom proteins in this model host-parasite interaction.

Lab website: https://venombiochemistrylab.weebly.com/