GGrantIndex
← Search

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** WHILE ONE-THIRD OF OUR FOOD DEPENDS ON POLLINATORS SUCH AS HONEYBEES, NEARLY 15% OF HONEYBEE COLONIES ARE LOST EVERY YEAR, SUGGESTING A PERSISTENT THREAT TO HONEYBEE HEALTH. THE VARROA MITES HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS THE NUMBER ONE STRESSOR FOR HONEYBEE OPERATIONS AFFECTING OVER 40% OF THE COLONIES. IT IS STRIKING TO NOTE THAT THE USE OF PESTICIDES (INCLUDING THE CHEMICAL TREATMENTS USED TO CONTROL THE VARROA) AFFECT AN ADDITIONAL 5-10% OF HONEYBEE COLONIES. RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THE CURRENT METHODS OF MITE PREVENTION USING SYNTHETIC AS WELL AS NATURAL CHEMICALS ARE HAZARDOUS AND UNSAFE TO BOTH THE BEES AND BEEKEEPERS. TO IMPROVE HONEYBEE HEALTH, WE PROPOSE TO PREPARE NEW FORMULATIONS OF POLYMER-BASED MICROPARTICLES THAT ARE CAPABLE OF RELEASING THE ACTIVE MITICIDES INGREDIENTS IN A CONTROLLED MANNER OVER A LONGER PERIOD. OUR WORK IS DIVIDED INTO THREE SPECIFIC AIMS AS FOLLOWS. IN AIM 1, WE WILL SYNTHESIZE AND CHARACTERIZE MICROPARTICLES OF CONTROLLED SIZES USING TWO BIOCOMPATIBLE POLYMERS. IN AIM 2, WE WILL INCORPORATE VARIOUS MITICIDES INTO MICROPARTICLES AND STUDY THEIR RELEASE. IN AIM 3, WE WILL EVALUATE THE SAFETY OF MITICIDE-LOADED MICROPARTICLES BY EXPOSING THEM TO HUMAN CELLS AND HONEYBEES. WE WILL ALSO TEST THEIR EFFICACY AGAINST VARROA MITES IN SMALL-SCALE LABORATORY STUDIES AND IN REAL-LIFE BEEKEEPING CONDITIONS. THIS PROJECT WILL DEVELOP VASTLY MORE SOPHISTICATED POLYMER-BASED DRUG DELIVERY CARRIERS TO IMPROVE THE OVERALL EFFECTIVENESS OF MITICIDES IN HONEYBEE POPULATIONS. IF SUCCESSFUL, THIS NOVEL APPROACH FOR THE LONG-TERM TREATMENT OF HONEYBEES WILL SUBSTANTIALLY IMPROVE THE SURVIVABILITY OF INFECTED HIVES.

$749,804FY2023National Institute of Food and AgricultureUSDA

University Of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson MS

Investigators

View source on USAspending →
** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** WHILE ONE-THIRD OF OUR FOOD DEPENDS ON POLLINATORS SUCH AS HONEYBEES, NEARLY 15% OF HONEYBEE COLONIES ARE LOST EVERY YEAR, SUGGESTING A PERSISTENT THREAT TO HONEYBEE HEALTH. THE VARROA MITES HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS THE NUMBER ONE STRESSOR FOR HONEYBEE OPERATIONS AFFECTING OVER 40% OF THE COLONIES. IT IS STRIKING TO NOTE THAT THE USE OF PESTICIDES (INCLUDING THE CHEMICAL TREATMENTS USED TO CONTROL THE VARROA) AFFECT AN ADDITIONAL 5-10% OF HONEYBEE COLONIES. RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THE CURRENT METHODS OF MITE PREVENTION USING SYNTHETIC AS WELL AS NATURAL CHEMICALS ARE HAZARDOUS AND UNSAFE TO BOTH THE BEES AND BEEKEEPERS. TO IMPROVE HONEYBEE HEALTH, WE PROPOSE TO PREPARE NEW FORMULATIONS OF POLYMER-BASED MICROPARTICLES THAT ARE CAPABLE OF RELEASING THE ACTIVE MITICIDES INGREDIENTS IN A CONTROLLED MANNER OVER A LONGER PERIOD. OUR WORK IS DIVIDED INTO THREE SPECIFIC AIMS AS FOLLOWS. IN AIM 1, WE WILL SYNTHESIZE AND CHARACTERIZE MICROPARTICLES OF CONTROLLED SIZES USING TWO BIOCOMPATIBLE POLYMERS. IN AIM 2, WE WILL INCORPORATE VARIOUS MITICIDES INTO MICROPARTICLES AND STUDY THEIR RELEASE. IN AIM 3, WE WILL EVALUATE THE SAFETY OF MITICIDE-LOADED MICROPARTICLES BY EXPOSING THEM TO HUMAN CELLS AND HONEYBEES. WE WILL ALSO TEST THEIR EFFICACY AGAINST VARROA MITES IN SMALL-SCALE LABORATORY STUDIES AND IN REAL-LIFE BEEKEEPING CONDITIONS. THIS PROJECT WILL DEVELOP VASTLY MORE SOPHISTICATED POLYMER-BASED DRUG DELIVERY CARRIERS TO IMPROVE THE OVERALL EFFECTIVENESS OF MITICIDES IN HONEYBEE POPULATIONS. IF SUCCESSFUL, THIS NOVEL APPROACH FOR THE LONG-TERM TREATMENT OF HONEYBEES WILL SUBSTANTIALLY IMPROVE THE SURVIVABILITY OF INFECTED HIVES. · GrantIndex