Dr. Olav Rueppell (Biology) received new funding from the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service for the project Dynamics of Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus Infection within Honey Bees.”
Honey bee viruses are a serious threat to honey bee health. We lack understanding of their transmission pathways and interactions with the bee host after infection. This project has two aims to contribute knowledge in these areas: 1. Quantify the amplification of Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus after bees are infected through different routes and determine resulting mortality. 2. Investigate the host transcriptional response to virus infection. Together, these aims will contribute to a better understanding of the interactions between honey bee viruses and their host to help improve honey bee health.
