Marce Lorenzen
Area(s) of Expertise
To elucidate the molecular mechanism that underlies a class of novel selfish-genetic element found only in Tribolium. Due to the selfish behavior of these elements they have potential as gene “drivers” to push pesticide susceptibility into populations of insect pests of crops, or vector incompetence into populations of insect vectors of disease.
Lorenzen Publications
The Lorenzen laboratory is part of the Genetic Pest Management (GPM) program at North Carolina State University. Currently our main research project is to elucidate the molecular mechanism that underlies a novel class of selfish-genetic elements found only in Tribolium flour beetles. Due to the selfish behavior of these―Medea‖ elements, they may be useful as gene “drivers” to push pesticide susceptibility into populations of insect pests of crops, or vector incompetence into populations of insect vectors of disease. For example: to force an anti-malarial gene into a mosquito population.
Education
BS, University of Rhode Island
Ph.D, Kansas State University