Tara Thiemann, who studies Culex mosquitoes which transmit West Nile Virus (WNV), and Horton, who studies Anopheline mosquitoes which transmit malaria, each received $1500.
Thiemann works with research entomologist William Reisen, Center for Vectorborne Diseases, and Horton with malaria researcher Shirley Luckhart, UC Davis School of Medicine.
Last year California recorded 380 cases of West Nile virus, with 21 fatalities. Malaria, a parasitic disease, kills more than a million people a year, with 90 percent of the global incidence of malaria occurring in Africa.
Thiemann's project involves analyzing the blood meals of Culex mosquitoes to determine the host species. She is relating the feeding patterns to virus activity and host blood prevalence.
"Understanding the blood feeding patterns of these mosquitoes is important for both understanding the maintenance of WNV as well as explaining epidemic transmission of the virus," Thiemann said.
William Hazeltine managed the Butte County Mosquito Abatement District from 1966 to 1992 and the Lake County Mosquito Abatement District from 1961-64. He is shown here working in the Lake lab.
Horton is researching the lifespan of the malaria mosquito. The Plasmodium parasite transmitted by the mosquito requires a specific amount of time to develop and become infectious to a human, she said. "Thus, if lifespan is shortened because of this extrinsic incubation period, it will not be capable of transmitting malaria."
Thiemann joined the Entomology Graduate Program in 2004, and Horton in 2005. Thiemann received her bachelor's and master's degree in biology from Truman State University, Kirksville, Mo. Horton received her bachelor's degree in public health studies at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore.
Hazeltine (1926-1994) managed the Butte County Mosquito Abatement District, Oroville, from 1966 to 1992, and the Lake County Mosquito Abatement District from 1961-64. He was an ardent supporter of the judicious use of public health pesticides to protect public health, according to colleague Robert Washino, emeritus professor and former chair of the UC Davis Department of Entomology.
Hazeltine studied entomology in the UC Berkeley graduate program from 1950 to 1953, and received his doctorate in 1962 from Purdue University.
Medical entomologist Bruce Eldridge of UC Davis eulogized him at the 2005 American Mosquito Control Association conference. His talk was later published in the Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association. (See PDF)
Previous Recipients:
2007: Lisa Reimer and Jacklyn Wong (See story)
2006: Christopher Barker and Tania Morgan (See story)
2005: Nicole Mans
2004: Sharon Minnick
2003: Hannah Burrack
2002: Holly Ganz and Andradi Villalobos
2001: Laura Goddard and Linda Styer
--Kathy Keatley Garvey
Communications specialist
UC Davis Department of Entomology
(530) 754-6894