Mabel taracena agarwal
My name is Mabel Taracena Agarwal. I am a Research Assistant Professor in the Entomology Department at Cornell University and a guest researcher at the Center of Health Studies at Del Valle de Guatemala University.
I work in the field of vector biology, particularly 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 to prepare and deal with the digestion of the bloodmeal.
Since the mosquito midgut is the primary interphase between the pathogens from the blood and 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.
My goal is to identify key aspects of vector physiology to be able to design new vector control strategies that are efficient and sustainable to prevent disease transmission.
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. Before that, I did my doctorate and master’s studies at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and my undergrad at Del Valle de Guatemala University.
I have always enjoyed mentoring students and doing inter-institutional and multi-disciplinary collaborative projects. I am also an active member of the Guatemalan chapter of the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World, where I seek to promote women’s engagement in STEM and STEM-related careers.
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.
In my free time, I love spending time with my daughter and my family and friends, taking our husky for long walks, and cooking.
Alessandra P. Girard Mejia
Hi! My name is Alessandra Girard, and I’m a PhD student in the Taracana-Agarwal Lab.
I joined in July 2023 as a lab technician, and now I am starting my journey as a graduate student in the Entomology Department.
I come from Guatemala with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry and Microbiology. I care about public health issues in developing countries, such as vector-borne infectious diseases, their surveillance, prevention, transmission, and complications caused by external factors like climate change or limited healthcare.
In my free time, I like to read, hike, crochet, and spend time with my loved ones.
justina Mosley
Claudia Reines
Thomas Everest