Degennaro, Matthew
- Associate Professor, Biological Sciences , College of Arts, Sciences & Education

Overview
overview
- DeGennaro is a neurogeneticist with 20 years of experience in biomedical research. Throughout his scientific career, he has used molecular genetics to address biological questions. His graduate training at NYU Medical Center was with Ruth Lehmann, one of the founders of developmental genetics, who has made fundamental contributions to the fields of germ cell and RNA biology. His postdoctoral training at Rockefeller University was with Leslie Vosshall, a leader in the field of olfaction who initially identified insect olfactory receptors and determined their unique mechanism of action. During his post-doc, he created the first mosquito mutant using zinc-finger nucleases to initiate the molecular genetic analysis of olfactory receptor function in Aedes aegypti. His work revealed new knowledge about the integration of host cues, mosquito host-preference, mosquito nectar-seeking and the mechanism of DEET repellency. His current goal is to identify olfactory receptors that mosquitoes use to sense their human and plant hosts. These genes will provide molecular targets that can be used to screen for new chemicals to modify mosquito behavior.
research interests
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Understanding how mosquitoes sense their human and plant hosts is required for the development of new tools to control harmful mosquito behaviors.
Using a molecular genetic approach, we seek to identify the odors and olfactory receptors that are necessary for mosquito host detection.
His results have appeared in a number of peer-review publications including Nature, Developmental Cell, Current Biology, PLOS Genetics, and the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
Scholarly & Creative Works
selected publications
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Article
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2022Portable locomotion activity monitor (pLAM): A cost-effective setup for robust activity tracking in small animalsFull Text via DOI: 10.1111/2041-210X.13809 Web of Science: 000777994600006
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2020Geosmin Attracts Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes to Oviposition Sites. CURRENT BIOLOGY. 30:127-+.Full Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.11.002 Web of Science: 000505692200028
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2020Geosmin Attracts Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes to Oviposition SitesFull Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.11.002 Web of Science: 000505692200028
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2020Increased temperatures reduce the vectorial capacity of Aedes mosquitoes for Zika virus. EMERGING MICROBES & INFECTIONS. 9:67-77.Full Text via DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2019.1707125 Web of Science: 000505224900001
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2020Increased temperatures reduce the vectorial capacity of Aedes mosquitoes for Zika virusFull Text via DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2019.1707125 Web of Science: 000505224900001
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2019Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes Detect Acidic Volatiles Found in Human Odor Using the IR8a Pathway. CURRENT BIOLOGY. 29:1253-+.Full Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.02.045 Web of Science: 000465246300014
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2019Communication and Dissemination of Forecasts and Engaging User Communities. SUB-SEASONAL TO SEASONAL PREDICTION: THE GAP BETWEEN WEATHER AND CLIMATE FORECASTING. 399-419.Full Text via DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-12-811714-9.00019-X Web of Science: 000472711000020
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2018Transient transcriptional silencing alters the cell cycle to promote germline stem cell differentiation in DrosophilaFull Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2017.11.014 Web of Science: 000426025300011
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2018Transient transcriptional silencing alters the cell cycle to promote germline stem cell differentiation in Drosophila. DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY. 434:84-95.
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2007Redox regulation of germ cell migration in DrosophilaFull Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2007.03.363
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Book Chapter
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2021The upside-down Jellyfish Cassiopea xamachana as an emerging model system to study Cnidarian-Algal symbiosis. 149-171.Full Text via DOI: 10.1201/9781003217503-9
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2019Chapter 19 Communication and Dissemination of Forecasts and Engaging User Communities. 399-419.Full Text via DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-811714-9.00019-x
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2019Communication and Dissemination of Forecasts and Engaging User Communities. 399-419.Full Text via DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-12-811714-9.00019-X Web of Science: 000472711000020
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Preprint
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Presentation, Presented Papers, Or Lectures
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Review
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2020Not Just from Blood: Mosquito Nutrient Acquisition from Nectar Sources. TRENDS IN PARASITOLOGY. 473-484.Full Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2020.02.003 Web of Science: 000527328300009
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2020Not Just from Blood: Mosquito Nutrient Acquisition from Nectar Sources. 473-484.Full Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2020.02.003 Web of Science: 000527328300009
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Thesis Or Dissertation
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2020
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editor of
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Thesis Or Dissertation
Works By Students
chaired theses and dissertations
advised honors theses
Research
principal investigator on
- Next generation mosquito control through technology-driven trap development and artificial intelligence guided detection of mosquito breeding habitats awarded by National Institutes of Health 2021 - 2026
- Identifying mosquito olfactory receptors for human odor by measuring mRNA expression levels awarded by Allergy and Infectious Diseases 2018 - 2022
- Dehydration as a driver for hematophagy and viral transmission in mosquitoes awarded by National Institutes of Health 2020 - 2022
- Microbiome-based vector control awarded by U.S. Department of Defense 2020 - 2022
- Southeastern Regional CoE in Vector-Borne Diseases: The Gateway Program awarded by Disease Control and Prevention 2016 - 2021
- Identifying Molecular Targets for Spatial Mosquito Repellent Design awarded by Florida Department of Health 2017 - 2018
- Identifying Mosquito Receptors that Detect Human Odor awarded by Allergy and Infectious Diseases 2015 - 2018
- A highly attractive biological insecticide trap (HABIT) to reduce Aedes mosquito populations awarded by Florida Department of Agriculture and Co 2016 - 2017
co-principal investigator on
- Germline transformation of forensically important flies awarded by National Institute of Justice 2020 - 2022
- EDGE: Functional-Genomics Tools for Cnidarian-Dinoflagellate Symbiosis awarded by National Science Foundation 2017 - 2021
subproject principal investigator on
- Regulation of juvenile hormone titers in mosquitoes awarded by Allergy and Infectious Diseases 2015 - 2022
Videos
videos
Contact
full name
- Matthew Degennaro
Identifiers
ORCID iD
- https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3837-4430 (confirmed)
visualizations
Recent publications and grants in Scholars@FIU
publication subject areas
Citation index-derived subject areas the researcher has published in