Radford University research puts cockroaches to good use by the sudden fluorescent light, a hissing cockroach scurries through his fingers looking for safety. His blue blazer and finely-trimmed facial hair are trademarks of a professorial appearance that masks a child-like curiosity the insect has inspired in him - and his students.
On most days during the fall term, this is how you're likely to find Dr. Jason Davis - or "Roach Man," as he is informally known on Radford University's campus. "That works, I guess" Davis said of his nickname.
"I like the notion that people are starting to recognize there are some things going on here and are taking an interest." For four years, Davis and his students have studied the behaviors and hormones that help insects grow bigger and reproduce.
The hope is through understanding this, the team will be able to quantify how to control some species and use the byproduct they naturally produce to benefit society.
The students have ownership of these projects, and that's what gets them excited, "Davis said.
"In one lab, Davis and the students have created a model in which roaches consume leftover human food and produce fertilizer.
Luis Arias, a biology major and one of Davis' students, said after some trial and error, the researchers discovered the perfect amount of roach waste to outdo traditional potting soil.
"The roach poop has worked very well," Arias joked.
"We've done other trials in the past with different amounts of frass.
I would have never thought we would have gotten these results.
Alex Atwood, a senior biology student, has been studying various types of roaches with Davis for the last three years.
The insects are housed in glass cases on an upper floor of the university's new Center for the Sciences building.
"When I first started out, I did not know what route of research I wanted to get into.
These can be used as a model organism for other things.
You can learn about human diseases and so much more.
"The group's research is not limited to crawling insects.
Some students study fruit flies, and others learn about birds and larger organisms.
"It's really interdisciplinary," Davis said.
"It's about giving the students hands-on application of what they learn in the classroom.
"Junior biology researcher Drew Wolford put his lessons to use in a unique way this past summer.
With Davis' help, Wolford said, he traveled to Peru to study a native strand of parasitic fungus and his effect on other organisms.
"Some research does not always relate to humans, and that's ok. This research does.
You can take all that food and feed it to these cockroaches and grow plants with their frass.
"The personal conviction and curiosity of his students, and the small groups they come in, is what attracted Davis to RU." Radford is more interested in the quality of our students than just getting big grants, "Davis explained.
"That's one of the reasons I like being here.
If I just wanted to get a big grant money, I'd have less time to work with students.
These guys take time to explain stuff, they have class loads.
No comments:
Post a Comment