The International Congress on Insect Neurochemistry and Neurophysiology (ICINN) Student Recognition Award

Omprakash Mittapalli, Ph.D. student in the Department of Entomology at Purdue University

Omprakash Mittapalli is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Entomology at Purdue University. He acquired a M.S. from the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Saskatchewan, Canada and his B.S. from the College of Agriculture in Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, India. Omprakash's research focuses on gene expression in the Hessian fly during compatible (larvae on susceptible plants) and incompatible (larvae on resistant plants) interactions and on comparative genomics among the Hessian fly, wheat midge and rice gall midge. He has accepted a post doctoral fellowship at the Max-Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Germany where his primary focus will be studying gene function using RNAi in insect pests of Nicotiana tobaccum and Solanum nigrum.

Congratulations to Omprakash Mittapalli who won the 2006 International Congress on Insect Neurochemistry and Neurophysiology (ICINN) Student Recognition Award. This honor was in recognition of his research on gene expression in the Hessian fly during compatible (larvae on susceptible plants) and incompatible (larvae on resistant plants) interactions and on comparative genomics among the Hessian fly, wheat midge and rice gall midge. Rich Shukle, his advisor, and the other members of his thesis committee are commended for their mentorship. This is the second time in three years our Department has won this award. The award will be presented at the ESA meeting in Indianapolis during the Entomological Foundation's Donor Reception on Tuesday, December 12.