The Urban Pest Management Technical Committee (UPMTC) visited the Illinois Natural History Survey on September 25, 2024, to learn more about the research being done at the survey and to spark future collaborations. Raymond Kim and Kylee Noel, members of the medical entomology lab, presented to the group. Raymond provided an overview of the medical entomology program, while Kylee discussed her ongoing research on insecticide resistance. UPMTC members also took a tour of the medical entomology lab led by INHS-MEL director Chris Stone and graduate student Joseph Spina. They had the opportunity to learn about the molecular diagnostic work being performed in the lab and view the insectary, which includes mosquito and bed bug colonies. The featured photo shows graduate student Vinisha Singh Basnet (center) and INHS-MEL director Chris Stone (right) chatting about bed bugs with UPMTC members during the laboratory tour.

Photo credit: Prairie Research Institute on LinkedIn.