Current supervisors: Prof. George Kennedy; Prof. Michael Reiskind
Position Responsibilities and Experience:
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- Using bioinformatics tools and pipelines for analyzing high-throughput data in the context of population genetics research for the thrips species Frankliniella fusca and mosquito species Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. Writing reports of results and presenting interpretation
- Performing large genetic datasets manipulation: FastQC, Trimmomatic, SAMtools, VCFTools and SED regular expression language. Some knowledge of AWK command line. Unix bash scripting adapted to bioinformatics pipeline automation and customization
- Performing de-novo and referenced SNPs discovery in the context of population genetics of insects using STACKS and PyRad
- Performing population structure analysis using Genepop, Structure, Plink, fastStructure and Arlequin
- Performing population migration inference by coalescence with Migrate software.
- Performing sequences alignments using Bowtie2 and BWA
- Performing phylogenic analyses using Mega and Phylip
- Performing DAPC and PCA using Adegenet library and Genesis PCA and Admixture Plot Viewer
- Performing Landscape genetics analysis using Geneland in R
- Utilizing Geneious and CLC Workbench software for sequences alignments, microsatellites scoring and primer design
- Applying knowledge of R programming language related to R-libraries requiring code customization
- Application of TaqMan probes for TaqMan SNP Genotyping Assays on Spider mites Tetranychus urticae
- Implementing 5Dye-sets microsatellite protocols for genotyping Tetranychus urticae samples on ABI 3730xl
- Performing whole genome amplification technique (Qiagen Repli-G) on Frankliniella fusca samples in preparation for Nextera library preps in population genetics study
- Performing DNA extractions on magnetic beads for NovaSeq 6000 library prep
- Rearing clonal pure lines of thrips Frankliniella fusca and conducting subsequent sample dissections for draft genome assembly project
- Performing screening of mosquito samples as potential carriers for dog heartworm Dirofilaria immitis using SYBRGreen qPCR method on mitochondrial amplicons
- Performing insect DNA extractions (ethanol precipitation, phenol-chloroform, Chelex, column membrane, agar excision, CTAB) and DNA purification (Qiagen DNA clean-up kits, Zymo mercaptoethanol protocols)
- Performing ddRad-Seq library prep for population studies
- Genotyping of insect samples for population characterization using PCR amplification of microsatellites
- Identification of insecticide resistance traits (KDR gene) in bedbugs using mitochondrial markers.
- Insect species identification using mitochondrial barcodes (CO2, CO1, 16S) matched to GeneBank NCBI repository for a termite species Coptotermes formosanus study
- Setup and operation of Li-Cor 4300 and LiCor 4200 DNA Analyzers
- Gel electrophoresis of amplicons, gel excisions and utilization of BigDye Terminator v.3.1 kit sequencing prep
- Population genetics statistical analysis of high-throughput data: F-Statistics, Genepop, Structure, Plink
- Phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial amplicons on VectorNTI, CLC Workbench, Sequencher, BioEdit, and Mega
- Microsatellites development for the termite species Silvestritermes euamignathus and Heterotermes aureus (unpublished) on 454-GSFlx platform with subsequent assembly using bioinformatics tools (Velvet, Mira, SPAdes)
- RNA isolation and sequencing for an RNA-seq project on Reticulitermes flavipes reproductive stages (unpublished)
- Custom Taq enzyme production with TaQ plasmid transformation method of DH5a competent cells
- Lab teaching helper for graduate course: Special Topics – Molecular Ecology ENT 495/591
- Genetic data analysis of submitted samples and report write-ups as part of agrobusiness industry contracts (Dow, Syngenta)
- Insecticides efficacy trials for agrochemical industry (BASF, Bayer, Syngenta): Setup and implementation of laboratory experiments and field bioassays
- Preparation and titration of laboratory stock solutions
- Phylogenetic analysis of haplotypes of field collected termite specimens of Coptotermes formosanus on a coastal China transect. GPS locations processed with ESRI GIS software
- Laboratory rearing of subterranean termites Reticulitermes virginicus and flavipes from NC forests.
- Supervision of temporary laboratory personnel
- Routinely performing laboratory management duties: upkeep of chemical inventories, consumable supplies, equipment maintenance and drafting of safety plans for multiple laboratories
Publications:
Hopperstad, K.A., Reiskind, M.H., Labadie, P.E. et al. Patterns of genetic divergence among populations of Aedes aegypti L. (Diptera: Culicidae) in the southeastern USA. Parasites Vectors 12, 511 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-019-3769-0
Burford Reiskind, MO, Labadie, P, Bargielowski, I, Lounibos, LP, Reiskind, MH. Rapid evolution and the genomic consequences of selection against interspecific mating. Mol Ecol. 2018; 27: 3641– 3654. https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.14821
Jones, S. C., Vargo, E. L., Keefer, T. C., Labadie, P., Scherer, C. W., Gallagher, N. T., & Gold, R. E. (2017). Efficacy of chlorantraniliprole in controlling structural infestations of the eastern subterranean termite in the USA. Insects, 8(3), 92. doi:http://dx.doi.org.prox.lib.ncsu.edu/10.3390/insects8030092
Burford Reiskind, M.O., Coyle, K., Daniels, H.V., Labadie, P., Reiskind, M.H., Roberts, N.B., Roberts, R.B., Schaff, J. and Vargo, E.L. (2016), Development of a universal double‐digest RAD sequencing approach for a group of nonmodel, ecologically and economically important insect and fish taxa. Mol Ecol Resour, 16: 1303-1314. http://doi.org/10.1111/1755-0998.12527
Haifig, I., Vargo, E. L., Labadie, P., & Costa-Leonardo, A. (2016). Unrelated secondary reproductives in the neotropical termite silvestritermes euamignathus (isoptera: Termitidae). Die Naturwissenschaften, 103(1-2), 9. doi:http://dx.doi.org.prox.lib.ncsu.edu/10.1007/s00114-015-1325-0
Perdereau, E., Bagnères, A.‐G., Vargo, E., Baudouin, G., Xu, Y., Labadie, P., Dupont, S. and Dedeine, F. (2015), Relationship between invasion success and colony breeding structure in a subterranean termite. Mol Ecol, 24: 2125-2142. https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.13094
Vargo EL, Labadie PE, Matsuura K. Asexual queen succession in the subterranean termite Reticulitermes virginicus. Proc Biol Sci. 2012;279(1729):813–819. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2011.1030
R.J. Brightwell, P.E. Labadie, J. Silverman, Northward Expansion of the Invasive Linepithema humile (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Eastern United States is Constrained by Winter Soil Temperatures, Environmental Entomology, Volume 39, Issue 5, 1 October 2010, Pages 1659–1665, https://doi-org.prox.lib.ncsu.edu/10.1603/EN09345
Matsuura, K., Vargo, E.L., Kawatsu, K., Labadie, P.E., Nakano, H., Yashiro, T., and Tsuji K. 2009. Queen succession through asexual reproduction in termites. Science 323:1687.
CV
Education
Master, Biology, University Of Florence, Italy (2000)