Jeff Scott is an Emeritus Professor of Entomology and is Co-Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Economic Entomology. He received a B.S. in Biochemistry from Michigan State University, a MS in Entomology (minor in Neurobiology) from Michigan State University and a Ph.D. in Entomology from the University of California, Riverside. He joined the Cornell faculty after postdoctoral study at the University of California, Berkeley. He was honored with the International Award for Research in Agrochemicals, American Chemical Society, Division of Agrochemicals in 2022, named a Fellow of the Entomological Society of America in 2013, received the 2012 Recognition Award in Insect Physiology, Biochemistry and Toxicology from the Entomological Society of America and is a Member of Editorial Board of Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology.
Research Focus
Our research is characterized by the three major areas below and seeks answers to both applied and basic questions. The techniques we use are varied and wide ranging.
Insecticide resistance and evolutionary biology. Resistance is one of the major problems facing public health and agriculture. Resistance has been referred to as “instant evolution” and causes major disruption whenever vectors of human disease or pests of agriculture can no longer be controlled. We study resistance as both a problem for which we need practical solutions, as well as an intensely interesting problem in basic evolutionary biology. We specialize in investigating the mechanisms (biochemical and genetic), inheritance, management, fitness costs and population genetics of insecticide resistance.
Insect genetics and molecular biology are active areas of research in our laboratory. We examine the genetic control and linkage of important traits (such as insecticide resistance), and we are now investigating the transcriptional control of genes responsible for insecticide resistance. We are also investigating the role of RNA editing of genes coding for proteins of importance to insecticide action.
Insecticide toxicology and metabolism studies are carried out to better understand the target sites of current and novel insecticides, as well as their pharmacodynamics (movement and fate within the organism). Studies have involved neuophysiological investigations into insecticide action as well as efforts to identify the enzymes involved in the metabolism of the insecticide.
