I work in the field of vector biology, in particular, tropical and neglected tropical diseases. Currently, my research focuses on understanding how the mosquito midgut responds to hormones and sex-specific cues at a cellular level. Since the mosquito midgut is the primary interphase between the pathogens from the blood and it is in direct contact with the gut microorganisms, part of my research seeks to understand how the mosquito, the microbiota, and the parasites interact and respond to endocrine signals from the mosquito.
The goal of my research program is to study the sex determination pathways in disease vectors to propose new strategies to target sexual dimorphisms for vector control. We study vector physiology related to pathogen transmission of diseases such as dengue, Zika, yellow fever, malaria, and Chagas disease.
Before coming to Cornell, I was a postdoctoral fellow in an Open Philanthropy project at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta to use RNA interference for mosquito elimination. I did my master’s and doctorate studies at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, and I have a B.S. in Biochemistry and Microbiology from the Del Valle de Guatemala University. I am a first-generation college student, and I am driven by the hope of creating a more inclusive and equitable research system worldwide, closing the gaps in research capacity and resources in the Global South, particularly Latin America. I have always enjoyed mentoring students and doing inter-institutional and multi-disciplinary collaborative projects.
Recent Research
In public health, few challenges are as urgent and consequential as vector-borne diseases. Transmitted by insects like mosquitoes and ticks, these diseases pose significant threats to global health and economic stability, perpetuating cycles of poverty and hindering progress toward health equity. While studying Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, we have found a profound link between mosquito mating, midgut microbiota, and midgut physiology. My research has shown that mating-induced juvenile hormone signaling orchestrates complex changes in the midgut epithelium and gut microbiota, ultimately enhancing female mosquito reproductive output. This discovery is particularly significant for ongoing efforts to deploy genetically modified mosquitoes for vector control, as it highlights potential ecological consequences and refines parameters for intervention strategies. We are currently investigating the molecular mechanisms involved in this interesting aspect of mosquito physiology and developing the study of sexually dimorphic traits in non-reproductive organs in disease vectors.
Selected Publications:
- Girard A, Echeverría A, Santos M, Padilla N, Taracena-Agarwal ML. 2026. Mating-dependent gut enlargement and immune suppression in field-caught Aedes aegypti. Communications Biology 2026. https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-026-10654-6
- Mabel L. Taracena-Agarwal, Ana Beatriz Walter-Nuno, Vanessa Bottino-Rojas, Alessandra P. Girard-Mejia, Kelsey Xu, Steven Segal, Ellen Dotson, Pedro L. Oliveira, Gabriela O. Paiva-Silva. 2024.Juvenile Hormone as a Contributing Factor in Establishing Midgut Microbiota for Fecundity and Fitness Enhancement in Adult Female Aedes aegypti. Communications Biology. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-024-06334-y
- Mabel L. Taracena-Agarwal, Bretta Hixson, Shyama Nandakumar, Alessandra P. Girard-Mejia, Robin Y. Chen, Louise Huot, Norma Padilla, Nicolas Buchon. 2024. The midgut epithelium of mosquitoes adjusts cell proliferation and endoreplication to respond to physiological challenges. BMC Biol 22, 22. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12915-023-01769-x
- Mabel L. Taracena, Catherine Hunt, Mark Q Benedict, Pamela M. Pennington, Ellen M Dotson. Downregulation of female doublesex expression by oral-mediated RNA interference reduces the number and fitness of Anopheles gambiae adult females. 2019. Parasites Vectors 12, p. 170. doi:10.1186/s13071-019-3437-4
- Mabel L. Taracena, Vanessa Bottino-Rojas, Octavio A.C. Talyuli, Ana Beatriz Walter-Nuno, Jose Henrique M. Oliveira, Yesseinia I. Anglero-Rodriguez, Michael B. Wells, George Dimopoulos, Pedro L. Oliveira, Gabriela O. Paiva-Silva. 2018. Regulation of midgut cell proliferation impacts Aedes aegypti susceptibility to dengue virus. PLoS Negl Trop Dis12(5):e0006498 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0006498
- Mabel L. Taracena, Pedro L. Oliveira, Olivia Almendares, Claudia Umaña, Carl Lowenberger, Ellen M. Dotson, Gabriela Paiva-Silva, Pamela M. Pennington. Genetically modifying the insect gut microbiota to control Chagas disease vectors through systemic RNAi. PLoS neglected tropical diseases. 2015 Feb 12;9(2): https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0003358
Awards & Honors
2023. Cornell Provost’s Faculty Fellow. Cornell University
2022. Cornell FIRST Future Faculty Symposium Scholar. Cornell University.
2021. Rising Star. Program for Achieving Career Excellence. Cornell University.
2018. Future Leaders in International Medical Entomology Award. American Committee of Medical Entomology. American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
2010. Cum Laude and Honorific Mention for Graduation Thesis. Universidad del Valle de Guatemala
