Faculty/Staff Detail

Frank Rossi, Chemistry Department, and Terrence Fitzgerald, Biological Sciences Department, are the principal authors of an article titled “Response of the neonate larvae of Cactoblastis cactorum to synthetic cactoblastins, a newly identified class of pheromonally-active chemicals found in the caterpillar’s mandibular glands” appearing in the journal Chemoecology. Four recent Cortland students are coauthors of the paper:  Daniel Rojas ’19, a current a PhD candidate in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry University of Delaware, Danielle A. Cervasio ’17, currently a PhD candidate at Stony Brook University majoring in neuroscience, John Posillico ’16, now a middle school science teacher in New York City, and Kyle Parella ’17, currently a PhD candidate in biochemistry at SUNY ESF. The paper is the fifth to be published by the principal investigators that explores the possibility of using the insect’s own pheromones as an eco-rational alternative to biocides in managing populations of the invasive caterpillar. The research was support by grants from the USDA-APHIS.