Editor’s note: This Viewpoint was submitted as part of the McClintock Letters Initiative, which encourages scientists to write opinion pieces the week of June 16th — Nobel Prize-awarded geneticist Barbara McClintock’s birthday — sharing what their research is about, why it matters, and why science is worth investing in. The initiative is in response to the threats to federal funding for scientific research.
My scientific journey began at John Adams High School in South Bend, where Mr. Nevin Longenecker sparked my interest in biology and research. His inspiration led me to major in biology at the University of Notre Dame, earn a Ph.D. in genetics at the University of Chicago, and to eventually return home in 2007 to open my genetics research lab at the IU School of Medicine-South Bend.
My lab focuses on a problem that affects us all: mosquitoes. They are not only annoying, but are the root cause of diseases like dengue, malaria and West Nile virus. Using baker’s yeast, we’ve developed a new kind of insecticide which uses a piece of hairpin-shaped RNA that targets mosquito genes without harming beneficial insects like honeybees. The yeast, which is fed to mosquitoes, is safe, effective, and now being tested both locally and around the world. We’ve also made yeast that specifically targets urban pests such as roaches, and we are adapting this technology to help farmers safely protect their crops from a variety of insect pests.
But here’s something you may not realize: This work would not have been possible without the grants we received from the NIH, USAID, the Department of Defense, the Deployed-Warfighter Protection Program, the CDC and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Their support helped us transition this research from lab bench experiments to real-world solutions. In addition to providing local jobs, the funds helped us forge collaborations with scientists at the Walter Reed Army Institute and with scientists at universities and companies across the world. Importantly, the funds supported students from Indiana University, Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame and Ivy Tech that contributed to our efforts — and they represent the future of American medicine and science.
As debates continue over who should fund research, I hope our story illustrates what is at stake. Investment in science not only leads to innovation — it trains the next generation, strengthens our communities, builds research collaborations among institutions, helps protect the U.S. military and delivers solutions to global problems. And yes, it might even prevent your next mosquito bite.
Molly Duman Scheel is the Navari Family Professor of Medical and Molecular Genetics at the IU School of Medicine-South Bend.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Why funding local science research matters — and how it helps fight mosquitoes | Opinion
Reporting by Molly Duman Scheel / South Bend Tribune
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