Curriculum Vitae

Dr. Verena-Ulrike Blaeske

 

University of Florida, Entomology and Nematology Department,

P.O. Box 110620, Gainesville, FL 32611-0620, USA

Phone: (352) 392-1901 ext 202, Fax : (352) 392-0190, Email: vblaeske@ufl.edu

 

General Information

Born: 1 November 1971 in Berlin, Germany

Citizenship: German

Recent Post:  Post Doctoral Research Scholar in the Department of Entomology and Nematology, UFL, Gainesville, FL 32611-0620, USA

 

Professional Background

Since 09/15/02                 Postdoctoral Research Scientist in the Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida
Laboratory of Dr. Drion G. Boucias (Professor)
Phone: (352) 392-1901 ext 147, Email: dgb@mail.ifas.ufl.edu
Projects:
1) “Helicosporidium spp. (Chlorophyta:
Trebouxiophyceae): Pathogenesis and Early Stages of Infection in Different Host Insects”
2) “Isolation of Entomopathogenic Soil Bacteria” (Syngenta Program)

07/01/2001 – 06/31/2002         Post Doctoral Research Scientist in the Department of Entomology, University of Georgia
Laboratory of Dr. Brian T. Forschler (Associate Professor)
Phone: (706) 542 4282, Email: bfor@arches.uga.edu
Projects:
1) Insect Pathology / Molecular Biology: “PCR-based Search for Viral Diseases in Subterranean Termites (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)”
2) Insect Morphology: “Fine Structural Analysis of the Peritrophic Matrix in Reticulitermes flavipes (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)”

05/01/1998 – 06/30/2001         Assistant Research Scientist in the Federal Institute of Materials Research and Testing, Berlin, Germany
Laboratory of Dr. Horst Hertel (PD)
Phone: (++49-30) 8104 1411, Email: horst.hertel@bam.de
Project: Chemical Ecology: “Influence of Selected Plant Extracts on Subterranean Termites (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)”

10/01/1996 – 11/30/1996         Student Worker in the Department of Biology, Free University of Berlin, Germany
Laboratory of Dr. Monika Hilker (Professor)
Telefon: (++49-30) 8385 3918, Email: hilker@zedat.fu-berlin.de
Maintenance of insect cultures and conduction of bioassays

09/01/1991 – 03/31/1992         Trainee in Nature Preservation and Horticulture in the Ökowerk Berlin e.V., Germany

Education

05/10/2001                       Ph.D. in Biology at the Free University of Berlin and the Federal Institute of Materials Research and Testing, Berlin, Germany
Thesis: “Effects of Plant-derived Compounds on Subterranean Termites: Repellency and Toxicity”

03/31/1998                       Diploma in Biology at the Free University of Berlin, Germany
Thesis: “Habitat Localization of the Egg Parasitoid Chrysonotomyia ruforum (Krausse) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae)”

10/1992 – 03/1997         Studies of Biology at the Free University of Berlin, Germany

06/08/1991                       Abitur at the Lilienthal Gymnasium in Berlin, Germany

 

Publications

Bläske, V.-U. & Boucias, D.G. 2005. Pathogenesis of the entomopathogenic alga Helicosporidium sp. (Chlorophyta: Trebouxiophyceae) in susceptible noctuid larvae. J. Invertebr. Pathol. (submitted).

Bläske, V.-U. & Boucias, D.G. 2004. Influence of Helicosporidium spp. (Chlorophyta: Trebouxiophyceae) Infection on the Development and Survival of Three Noctuid Species. Environ. Entomol. 33 (1): 54-61.

Bläske, V.-U., Hertel, H., and Forschler, B.T. 2003. Repellent Effects of Isoborneol on Subterranean Termites (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) in Soils of Different Composition. J. Econ. Entomol. 96 (4): 1267-1274.

Grube, S., Bläske, V.-U., and Forschler, B.T. 2003. Ontogenesis and Caste Ancestry in the Genus Reticulitermes (Isoptera; Rhinotermitidae). Proceedings of the 77th Annual Southeastern Branch ESA Meeting, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, March 912 (Abstract).

Bläske, V.-U. and Forschler, B.T. 2002. Midgut Morphology of Reticulitermes flavipes (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) With Special Interest in the Peritrophic Matrix. Proceedings of the 50th Annual ESA Meeting, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, November 17–20 (Abstract).

Bläske, V.-U. 2002. FineStructural Identification of the Peritrophic “Membrane” in Subterranean Termites. Proceedings of the SouthEastern Microscopy Society, Athens, GA, May 15–17 (Abstract).

Bläske, V.-U. and Hertel, H. 2001. Repellent and Toxic Effects of Plant Extracts on Subterranean Termites (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae). J. Econ. Entomol. 94 (5): 1200–1208.

Bläske, V.-U. 2001. Die Wirkung ausgewählter Pflanzeninhaltsstoffe auf erdbewohnende Termiten: Repellenz und Toxizität. Dissertation. Free University of Berlin, Germany.

Hilker, M., Bläske, V., Kobs, C., and Dippel, C. 2000. Kairomonal Effects of Sawfly Sex Pheromones on Egg Parasitoids. J. Chem. Ecol. 26 (11): 2591–2601.

Bläske, V.-U. 1999 Einfluss von pflanzlichen Duftstoffen auf die Orientierung von Reticulitermes santonensis (Isoptera: Rhnotermitidae). Proceedings of the 17th IUSSI Meeting, German Section, Stuttgart, Germany, September 19–23 (Abstract).

 

Presentations

March 2004       „Infection of Diaprepes abbreviatus with a unicellular green alga, Helicosporidium spp.“ (poster)
Verena-Ulrike Bl
äske and Drion G. Boucias
Diaprepes Task Force Annual Scientific Meeting, Fort Pierce, Florida, March 4

July 2003          Influence of Helicosporidium spp. Infection on Development and Survival of Three Noctuid Species“ (talk)
Verena-Ulrike Bl
äske and Drion G. Boucias
“Studies on the Resistance Mechanisms Exhibited by the Eastern Subterranean Termite Reticulitermes flavipes“ (talk, co-author)
Drion G. Boucias and Verena-Ulrike Bl
äske
36th Annual SIP (Society for Invertebrate Pathology) Meeting, Burlington, Vermont, July 26-30

March 2003       Ontogenesis and Caste Ancestry in the Genus Reticulitermes (Isoptera; Rhinotermitidae)” (poster)
Sabine Grube, Verena-Ulrike Bläske, and Brian T. Forschler
77th Annual
Southeastern Branch ESA (Entomological Society of America) Meeting, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, March 912

Nov. 2002          „Midgut Morphology of Reticulitermes flavipes (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) With Special Interest in the Peritrophic Matrix“ (poster)
Verena-Ulrike Bläske and Brian T. Forschler
50th Annual ESA
Meeting, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, November 17–20

May 2002          ”Fine-Structural Identification of the Peritrophic Membrane in Subterranean Termites” (talk)
SEMS (SouthEastern Microscopy Society) Meeting, Georgia Center for Continuing Education, Athens, GA, May 15–18

May 2002          “Insect Viruses and Peritrophic Membranes – What’s Going on in Termites?” (talk)
Entomology Seminar in the Department of Entomology, UGA, May 6

March 2002       “Interactions Between Plants and Insects” (lecture)
Urban Entomology, Dr. Brian Forschler, Dep. of Entomology, UGA, March 1

Nov. 2001          “What’s New in Subterranean Termite Research?” (talk)
25th Annual Field Day and Workshop, Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL, November 7–9

March 2000       “Repellent and Toxic Effects of Different Plant Extracts on Reticulitermes santonensis (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)” (talk)
9th Workshop “Practice Oriented Results on Use of Plant Extracts and Pheromones in Integrated and Biological Pest Control”, Hohensolms, Germany, March 13–15

Sept. 1999        “Influence of Plant Extracts on the Orientation of Reticulitermes santonensis (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)” (talk)
17th IUSSI (International Union for the Studies of Social Insects) Meeting, Stuttgart, Germany, September 19–23

May 1999          "Influence of Plant-derived Substances on the Orientation and the Behavior of Termites" (talk)
Interdisciplinary Seminar for Ph.D. students at the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, Berlin, Germany, May 27

 

Gainesville, Florida, 21 January 2005