- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
That would be UC Davis distinguished professor Lynn Kimsey, director of the Bohart Museum of Entomology from 1990 until yesterday, Jan. 31, 2024.
Today, Feb. 1, is her first full day of retirement after 34 years of service to UC Davis (teaching, research and public service), and it also happens to be her birthday anniversary.
The Bohart Museum staff celebrated her birthday today. "I'm 71," she said. (And yes, it's okay to print that.)
Why is she "The Girl in the Red Boots?" A photograph of her at age 5, sitting on a fence and holding an insect net, graces the entrance to the Bohart Museum. Her boots are colorized red in the black and white photo.
Lynn grew up in El Cerrito as Lynn Siri and went on to receive two degrees in entomology from UC Davis: a bachelor's degree (1976) and a doctorate (1979). She joined the UC Davis faculty in 1989 following an appointment at Harvard.
The Bohart Museum, founded by UC Davis entomologist Richard "Doc" Bohart in 1946, began with only 400 insect specimens at its Briggs Hall location. Under Kimsey's tenure, it has grown to a global collection of eight million insect specimens in Room 1124 of the Academic Surge Building, 455 Crocker Lane, and is the seventh largest insect collection in North America.
Kimsey, a recognized international authority on insect biodiversity, systematics and biogeography of parasitic wasps, urban entomology, civil forensic entomology, and arthropod-related industrial hygiene, is a past president of the International Society of Hymenopterists (2002-2004), and former member of the board of directors of the Natural Science Collections Alliance (2000 and 2001).
A popular administrator, Kimsey served as the vice chair of the UC Davis Department of Entomology in 2005-2006 and again in 2009-2010. She headed the department as interim chair in 2008-2009.
We asked her today: "How is retirement?"
"Retirement is weird," Kimsey said. "Somehow nothing changes, but so many things change! I'm still going to work in the museum, sorting and identifying bugs, and answering questions, but I won't have to teach or do committee work."
Kimsey will continue to be the executive director of the Bohart Museum Society, and write and publish the newsletter. No, she's not going to Disneyland (as some retirees comment). "I'm going to try to make a publishable form of my keys to the insects of California. I will still be doing the newsletters and information pages."
"Jason is taking over (as museum director), and I know where he lives," she quipped.
That would be arachnologist Jason Bond, whose office and lab are just down the hallway. He joined the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology in 2018 as a professor and the Evert and Marion Schlinger Endowed Chair. The UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences appointed him associate dean in 2021. He's also the president-elect of the American Arachnological Society.
A retirement party for Lynn Kimsey is planned April 6, information pending. Husband, Bob, a forensic entomologist with the Department of Entomology and Nematology, plans to retire in June.
Let's celebrate "The Girl in the Red Boots!"
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
It's long been a model organism for biological research in such fields as genetics, physiology, microbial pathogenesis and life history evolution.
And now, a New York scientist is studying the circadian and homeostatic regulation of sleep in these fruit flies.
Orie Shafer, professor of biology and cognitive neuroscience, City University of New York, will share his research on Monday, Feb. 5 in a seminar hosted by the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology.
Shafer will discuss "Circadian and Homeostatic Regulation of Fly Sleep" at 4:10 p.m. in Room 122 of Briggs Hall, and also on Zoom. The Zoom link:
https://ucdavis.zoom.us/j/95882849672.
"Sleep-like states are ubiquitous in the animal kingdom and are regulated by two distinct forms of regulation, circadian and homeostatic," Shafer says in his abstract. "Homeostatic mechanisms promote increases in sleep pressure during prolonged wakefulness. Circadian mechanisms determine the likelihood of sleep, increasing or decreasing its probability across the day. Though the molecular and neural mechanisms of circadian timekeeping are relatively well-understood, much less is known about the mechanistic basis of sleep homeostasis. The fly Drosophila melanogaster is a powerful model organism for the studying of sleep regulation. In this talk I will describe recent work from my lab examining how circadian timekeeping and sleep homeostasis operate in this fly and how these two regulatory processes converge to produce the proper timing and amount of sleep."
Shafer will be introduced by molecular geneticist and physiologist Joanna Chiu, professor and chair of the department. He received his doctorate in biology from the University of Washington, and served as a postdoctoral researcher at Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis.
In a YouTube video with Abhilash Lakshman on "Circadian and Homeostatic Regulation of Sleep in an Insect Brain," Shafer points out that "Sleep is largely controlled by two processes--a circadian clock that regulates its timing and a homeostat that regulates the drive to sleep." In the video, he discusses some of the fundamental biology involved in human and fly sleep. Lakshman describes "an elegant two process model in which the circadian and homeostatic components act independently, bringing theory and experiment together for a new understanding of fly sleep."
D. melanogaster feeds on rotting fruit and fermenting beverages, and is often found not only in orchards, but in kitchens and bars.
Charles W. Woodworth proposed in 1901 that D. melanogasterbe used as a model organism. "As of 2017, six Nobel Prizes have been awarded to drosophilists for their work using the insect," according to Wikipedia. "D. melanogaster is typically used in research owing to its rapid life cycle, relatively simple genetics with only four pairs of chromosomes, and large number of offspring per generation. It was originally an African species, with all non-African lineages having a common origin. Its geographic range includes all continents, including islands. D. melanogaster is a common pest in homes, restaurants, and other places where food is served."
For any Zoom technical issues, contact seminar coordinator Brian Johnson, associate professor, at brnjohnson@ucdavis.edu. See complete list of seminars for the winter quarter.
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
EicOsis Human Health LLC, the Davis-based pharmaceutical company developing a non-narcotic drug to relieve chronic pain and inflammation, today announced the next step in its ongoing human clinical trials: the initiation of Phase 1b to test the safety of its drug candidate, EC5026.
The ongoing double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 1b study is designed to investigate the safety and pharmacokinetics of daily doses of EC5026 over seven days.
EC5026, an inhibitor of the soluble hydrolase enzyme (sEH), was discovered and patented at EicOsis based on previous patents and research papers from the laboratory of UC Davis distinguished professor Bruce Hammock during his half-century of research.
“EC5026 plays a crucial role in regulating the metabolism of signaling lipids and responding to inflammation and other stress responses caused by trauma or disease,” said Hammock, who holds a joint appointment with the Department of Entomology and Nematology and the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center. “We found sEH to be a target for treating pain, inflammation, cancer and other diseases.”
By inhibiting sEH, EC5026 alleviates pain by preventing the breakdown of natural analgesic and anti-inflammatory fatty acids. Preclinical studies demonstrate no sedation or other adverse behavioral effects and no signs of addiction.
“Many regulatory molecules are controlled as much by degradation as biosynthesis,” Hammock explained. "The epoxy fatty acids rapidly degraded by the sEH control blood pressure, fibrosis,immunity, tissue growth, depression, pain, and inflammation, to name a few processes.”
“The initial results from Cohort 1 appear to replicate the very favorable safety profile we observed in our previous two Phase 1a clinical studies where there were no adverse behavioral, cardiovascular, or neurological effects over five ascending single-dose levels,” said Dr. William Schmidt, EicOsis vice president of clinical development. “The maximum dose level was 5 to 10-fold higher than the anticipated analgesic dose in humans.”
“If Cohort 2 dosing also proceeds without clinically significant adverse effects and a favorable pharmacokinetic profile for once-a-day dosing,” Schmidt continued, “this provides encouragement for initiating our first analgesic efficacy study in the second quarter of 2024.”
EicOsis plans to initiate its first pain patient study in April 2024 “to evaluate safety and analgesic effects in patients with a spinal cord injury who have failed to achieve satisfactory pain relief with existing non-opioid chronic pain medications,” said Cindy McReynolds, EicOsis chief executive officer and former director of research.
“Initiation of the Phase 1b program represents a significant milestone for EicOsis Human Health and demonstrates the success and dedication of our team to make this happen,” said McReynolds, who holds a doctorate in pharmacology and toxicology from UC Davis. “Demonstrating safety in Phase 1b studies will allow us to evaluate efficacy in patients and bring forward safe and effective treatments for several serious diseases. For example, the sEH inhibitors are being considered for use for treatment of cancer in the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, and neurological disease through the UC Davis Health's designated Parkinson's Foundation Center of Excellence.”
“As a potential anti-inflammatory fatty acid, EC5026 holds promise in addressing neuroinflammation, a key factor in the manifestation and even progression of Parkinson's,” said Zhang, who holds both an M.D. and a PhD. “Ensuring its safety profile in healthy individuals is fundamental for establishing a foundation for further clinical trials. this investigation provides valuable insights into design and overall safety parameters, paving the way for the next stages in advancing this innovative therapeutic approach for Parkinson's disease."
The FDA granted Fast Track status to EC5026 in April 2020 to support the unmet medical need for safe and effective non-opioid analgesics. EicOsis clinical scientist Irene Cortés Puch, who authored the successful application, commented: “Both our commitment and focus at EicOsis Human Health are guided by a genuine concern for the well-being of patients and recognizing the importance of identifying effective pain management alternatives. Therefore, the initiation of this Phase 1b clinical trial is an exciting step in advancing our mission to provide safer and effective treatments.”
Hammock traces his research on chronic pain to his earlier work on how a caterpillar becomes a butterfly; a key enzyme, epoxide hydrolase, degrades a caterpillar's juvenile hormone, resulting in metamorphosis.
A member of the UC Davis faculty since 1980, Hammock founded ;EicOsis in 2011 and served as its chief executive officer until February 2023 when he transitioned to scientific officer and chairman of the board of directors. Highly honored by his peers, he is a member of the National Academy of Inventors and the National Academy of Sciences and received the 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award in Innovation from UC Davis Chancellor Gary May. Hammock has authored or co-authored more than 1400 peer-reviewed publications and holds more than 95 patents in agriculture, environmental science and medicinal chemistry.
EicOsis (pronounced eye-co-sis), derives its name from eicosanoids, “the major backbone of chemical mediators in the arachidonate cascade,” McReynolds said. “It symbolizes the epoxide group in chemistry, which is key to the anti-inflammatory chemical mediators and where the biochemical target called soluble epoxide hydrolase works.”
Approximately 50 million Americans (20 percent of the population) suffer from chronic pain, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The annual economic toll is $560 billion, encompassing direct medical expenses, lost productivity, and disability claims.
More information on the Phase 1b multiple-ascending dose clinical study is available at https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06089837.
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
It's not often that entomology and football mesh.
But that was the case when San Francisco 49'ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk credited his spectacular 51-yard catch in Sunday's NFC championship game with the Detroit Lions to a ladybug landing on his shoe before the game.
Aiyuk dove for the ball as it bounced off the helmet of Lions' cornerback Kindle Vildora and cradled it. A few minutes later, Aiyuk scored a touchdown on a six-yard pass, erasing the 14-point deficit. The 49'ers went on to win the game 34-31.
"Before the game, a ladybug landed on my shoe, and y'all know what that means," Aiyuk told Fox Sports' Erin Andrews after the win. "So that's all I can say because other than that I don't know. Just great luck."
Talk about a beneficial insect. It not only eats aphids but helps win football games!
The ladybug is actually a beetle (Coleoptera), not a bug (Hemiptera), but sports reporters--as do nearly everyone else 'cept entomologists--call it by its common name.
The lady beetle is associated with good luck because it eats the aphids that try to destroy our crops. It can eat as many as 5000 aphids in its lifetime, scientists estimate.
"These beetles have become a cultural icon of sorts because of their appearance and their beneficial habits," writes UC Davis distinguished professor Lynn Kimsey, director of the Bohart Museum of Entomology, in her insect fact sheet on lady beetles. "Both adults and larvae feed on aphids and other small, soft-bodied insects...They are ferocious predators on small insects." (See what the UC Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program says about lady beetles.)
Questions remain about that insect landing on Aiyuk's shoe. How many spots did it have? Did it fly away? Was its house burning? Were its children home? What was the gender?
Ladybug! Ladybug!
Fly away home.
Your house is on fire.
And your children all gone.
--Nursery Rhyme
Just wait for someone to bring congregations of lady beetles to Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas for the 49'ers-Kansas City Chiefs matchup. Or maybe an artist will paint their shoes or helmets with the icon, or a seamstress will embroider the insect on their jerseys.
Luck be a lady?
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
You can visit UC Davis museums or collections, talk to the scientists, and learn more about what makes UC Davis an internationally known science-based university. The free-and-family-friendly event, set Saturday, Feb. 10, features 10 museums or collections. It's a Super Science kind-of-day, and one you won't want to miss!
Your preferred choice transportation will involve your feet (walking) or wheels (bicycle and car to get to campus and the California Raptor Center on Old Davis Road). It won't be the double-decker bus in the graphic below. But isn't it cool? Each of the museums or collections is represented by a passenger on the bus.
Behind the scenes: In 2020, UC Davis biology laboratory manager (and talented artist) Ivana Li was asked for a graphic to help publicize the event, and she came up with a double-decker bus featuring the participating museums and collections. Fast-forward to this year and Caitlen Comendant, an undergraduate design major at UC Davis, and a media intern for the Center for Plant Diversity and the Botanical Conservatory, colorized the graphic and updated it.
In 2022, we wrote this about the double-decker bus: "All aboard! C'mon in, Ms. Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse. Don't sit too close to Mr. Golden Eagle. Buzz in Ms. Honey Bee. Stay away from Mr. Chinese Praying Mantis, Tenoderasinensis. Sorry, but the driver can neither guarantee your safety nor your arrival at your intended destination."
This year all 12 passengers kept their seats, but the event now features 10 museums and collections instead of 12. Not participating this year are the UC Davis Bee Haven (represented by the honey bee) and the Marine Invertebrates Collection (represented by a California sea cucumber).
The passengers depicted, upper level (from left)
- California Raptor Center: Golden eagle
- UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden: Valley oak leaf
- Anthropology Museum: Projectile point
- Botanical Conservatory: Titan arum
- Phaff Yeast Collection: Budding yeast
- Paleontology Collection: Skull
Lower level (from left)
- Bohart Museum of Entomology: Chinese praying mantis, Tenodera sinensis
- UC Davis Bee Haven: honey bee
- Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology: Salt marsh harvest mouse
- Nematode Collection: Hookworm
- Center for Plant Diversity: Seed cone of a gray pine
- Marine Invertebrates Collection: California sea cucumber (included on bus but this collection will not be included at the Biodiversity Museum Day)
So, is bee is declared safe from the praying mantis? They're still on the bus. (No flora or fauna got eaten or thrown under the bus.)
The 10 museums or collections participating on Feb. 10 and the hours open are:
- Anthropology Museum, 328 Young Hall and grounds, open from noon to 4 p.m.
- Arboretum and Public Garden, Habitat Gardens in the Environmental GATEway, adjacent to the Arboretum Teaching Nursery on Garrod Drive, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Bohart Museum of Entomology, Room 1124 and main hall of the Academic Surge Building, 455 Crocker Lane, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Botanical Conservatory, the greenhouses along Kleiber Hall Drive, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- California Raptor Center, 1340 Equine Lane, off Old Davis Road, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Center for Plant Diversity, Katherine Esau Science Hall off Kleiber Hall Drive, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Nematode Collection (part of the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology), Katherine Esau Science Hall, off Kleiber Hall Drive, 10 am. to 2 p.m.
- Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology, Room 1394, Academic Surge Building, 455 Crocker Lane, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Paleontology Collection, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, 1309 Earth and Physical Sciences Building, 434 LaRue Road, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Phaff Yeast Culture Collection, Robert Mondavi Institute Brewery and Food Processing facility, Old Davis Road, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Last year some 4,000 visitors learned "about biodiversity through our amazing biological collections," said UC Davis Biodiversity Museum Day chair Tabatha Yang, education and outreach coordinator for the Bohart Museum of Entomology.
