• BA in Bacteriology, University of California, Los Angeles

• PhD in Genetics, University of Washington

Current Research Interests

I am studying the programmed death of alimentary canal cells of the mosquito, Culex pipiens, as it relates to the process of metamorphosis and the mechanism of action of the biological pesticide produced by the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis
subsp israelensis.

Pertinent publications in last five years:

• Nishiura, J. T., K. Ray and L. Cartengena (In preparation) Expression of Nuclear Receptor-Transcription Factors in In Vitro cultured mosquito larval midgut.
• Nishiura, J.T., K. Ray and J. Murry (2004) Expression of Nuclear Receptor-Transcription Factors During Aedes aegyupti Midgut Metamorphosis and the Effect of Methoprene on Expression -Submitted to Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
• Nishiura, J.T., Ho, P. and K. Ray. (2003) Methoprene interferes with mosquito midgut remodeling during metamorphosis. J. Med. Entomol. vol 40, pp498 -507
• Nishiura, J.T., (2002). Coordinated morphological changes in midgut, imaginal discs and respiratory trumpets during metamorphosis of Aedes aegypti (Diptera:Culicidae). Annals. Entomol. Soc. Am. vol 95. pp 498 - 505.
• Nishiura, J.T. and D. Smouse. (2000) Nuclear and cytoplasmic changes in the Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidea) alimentary canal during metamorphosis and their relationship to programmed cell death. Annal. Entomol. Soc. Am. vol 93. pp 282 - 290.