Members of the Illinois Natural History Survey Medical Entomology Lab participated in the 71st Annual Meeting of the Illinois Mosquito and Vector Control Association (IMVCA), held in Champaign, Illinois, on November 20–21, 2025. Our team contributed presentations, participated in the student competition, and took on leadership roles within the association.
Student Competition Recognition
Graduate students Joseph Spina and Vinisha Basnet represented the lab in the Henry M. Lawicki Student Competition.
We are excited to share that Joseph Spina won 2nd place for his presentation, “Exploring the Epidemic Potential of Ross River Virus in the United States Through Vectorial Capacity and Qualitative Risk Assessment.”
Lab Presentations
Two lab members delivered presentations across the two-day program:
Andrew Mackay presented “Identifying Potential Vectors of Jamestown Canyon Virus in Northeastern Illinois.”
Chris Stone presented “Culex Hybridization, Avian Malaria Infection Rates, and Tick Surveillance Updates.”
Leadership Announcements
We are proud to announce that Kylee Noel became the new Vice President of IMVCA during this year’s meeting. Additionally, Chris Stone was appointed as a Member Representative for the association. Congratulations to both Kylee and Chris for stepping into these impactful roles!
Lab Members in Attendance
In addition to the presenters and competitors, the following lab members were also in attendance and represented the INHS Medical Entomology Lab:
- Raymond Kim
- Gabriel Yan
- Arif Ciloglu
- Corrado Cara
- Lance Jones
A Strong Presence at IMVCA 2025
Our lab was well-represented across talks, leadership roles, and student competition activities. We are proud of everyone who contributed and grateful for the opportunity to engage with Illinois’ mosquito and vector control community.