M. Scott Thomson

Associate Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
University of Wisconsin-Parkside
900 Wood Road, Box 2000
Kenosha, WI 53141-2000

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

• 2003-2007, Chair, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Kenosha, WI
• 1999-present, Associate Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Kenosha, WI
• 1992-1999, Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Kenosha, WI
• 1991-1992; Research Associate, Department of Biological Sciences, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS
• 1989-1991; Research Geneticist (Insects), USDA, ARS, US Grain Marketing Research Laboratory, Manhattan, KS
• 1987-1989; Research Associate, Department of Zoology, Duke University, Durham, NC

EDUCATION

• 1986 - Ph.D., Entomology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
• 1981 - M.S., Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA
• 1976 - A.B., Biology/Chemistry, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT

COURSES TAUGHT AT UW-PARKSIDE

• BIOS 101 - Bioscience (4 cr.)
• BIOS 102 - Organismal Biology (4 cr.)
• BIOS 260 - General Genetics (3 cr.)
• BIOS 312-  Medical & Forensic Entomology (4 cr.)
• BIOS 313 - Invertebrate Zoology (4 cr.)

RESEARCH INTERESTS

General fields: Genetics, Entomology, Invertebrate Zoology, Evolution, Molecular Biology

My interest is applying the principles and techniques of molecular biology and genetics to the study of insect biology.  Specific projects include:

• Genetics of hybrid incompatibility between con-specific strains of Tribolium castaneum, the red flour beetle. The goal of this project is to identify genetic factors responsible for inviability found in hybrids produced by certain T. castaneum strains; and to evaluate the potential for manipulating inviability in natural populations.
• Population biology of grasshopper parasites.

GRADUATE STUDENTS & THEIR THESIS PROJECTS

• Jagadeesh Babu Sree Manthula, Mobilizing EGFP-marked piggyBAC Insertions to Create Visible Genetic Markers
• Angela Leis, Genetic Mapping of the H Locus Region of Linkage Group 9, Tribolium castaneum.
• David McKee, 2005.  Optimizing Genomic Screening with Pre-Electrophoretic Treatments to DNA-based Genetic Markers.
• John Pham, 2001. Identifying Molecular Markers Tightly Linked to the Tribolium castaneum Incompatibilty Factor, H, by the Method of AFLP.
• Shahida Dar, 2000.  Investigation of H Escaper Alleles and Genetic Mapping of Linkage Group 9 of Tribolium castaneum.
• Ben Krenke, 1999. The Incompatibilty Factor, H, of Tribolium castaneum: Analysis of Genetic Instability and Development of Molecular Markers.
• Jaqueline Delp, 1997. Identification of a Molecular Marker Linked to a Hybrid Incompatibility Factor in Tribolium castaneum by Bulked Segregant Analysis of RAPD Markers.
• Michelle Steffens, 1997. Detection and characterization of mariner-like Transposable Elements in Tribolium castaneum.
• Kyle L. Knoke, 1995. Heterogeneity of "Woot", a Retrotranposon, Compared Throughout Tribolium castaneum Strains.
• William T. Bernhardt, 1994. Cloning and Characterization of Woot-Homologous Sequences in a Strain of Tribolium castaneum.

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS & THEIR PROJECTS

• Michelle Leittl, 2008-2009.  Zooplankton of the Pike River; Genetic mapping of the H Locus Region of Linkage Group 9, Tribolium castaneum.
• Saul Hernandez, 2008. Sequence-based identification of mermithid parasites of grasshoppers.
• Dan Helbling, 2008.  Sequence-based identification of mermithid parasites of grasshoppers.
• Issam Ismaili, 2006.  Parasites’ preferences and their frequencies in the grasshoppers.
• Danniell DeWaal, 2006.  Development of Enhanced Green Fluorescence Protein as a Visible Marker in Tribolium castaneum: An Effort to Help Map the Hybrid Incompatibility Gene.
• Jacob Metallo, 2006.  Mapping the Hybrid Incompatibility Factor, H, in the Red Flour Beetle Tribolium castaneum.
• Douglas Drury, 2004-2005. Investigation of Insertion Junctions of Woot, a Tribolium castaneum Retrotransposon.
• Amal Museitef, 2004.  Developing an AFLP Marker for the Hybrid Incompatibility Gene, H, in Tribolium castaneum.
• Ahmed Cheema, 2003-2005. Mapping Molecular Markers Linked to the Tribolium Incompatibility Factor, H.
• Rebekah Bishop-Costello, 2003-2004. Cloning and Characterization of the Xanthin Dehydrogenase Gene of Tribolium castaneum.
• Crystal Smith, 2002-2003.  Gonadal Dysgenesis in Tribolium castaneum.
• Derya Singhsumalee, 2002-2003.  Cloning and Characterization of the Xanthin Dehydrogenase Gene of Tribolium castaneum.
• Jarrad Graf and Sujan Swearingen, 2001.  Genetic Mapping the Tribolium Incompatibility Factor, Medea (M⁴).
• Holly Kinservik and Kurt Schmidt, 2001.  Mapping Molecular Markers Linked to the Tribolium Incompatibility Factor, H.
• Sarah Kiesling, 1999. Characterization of H factors Isolated from Various Strains of Tribolium castaneum.
• Kurt Schmidt, 1999. Analysis of Structural Heterogeneity of Woot Retrotransposable Elements in Tribolium castaneum. Methods for Isolating DNA from Tribolium castaneum
• Michael Lawrence, 1998. Genetic Analysis of the Dch Translocation
• Awilda LaBonne, 1997. Identification of RAPD markers linked to the Tribolium castaneum incompatibility factor, H.
• Patrick Martin, 1997. Genetic mapping of the Tribolium castaneum incompatibility factor, H.
• Aaron Sepanski, 1997. Identification of H-like incompatibility factors in strains of Tribolium castaneum.
• Clinton Adamson, 1997. Detecting an aggregation pheromone in Tribolium castaneum.
• Louis DeFranco, 1997. Assessing cold tolerance of Tribolium castaneum.
• Robert Bernhardt, 1994. Identification of H-like incompatibility factors in strains of Tribolium castaneum.
• Susan Schaffer, 1993. Measuring temperature effects on hybrid incompatibility in Tribolium castaneum

PUBLICATIONS

• D.R. McKee and M.S. Thomson, 2004.  Nucleic acid stain-dependent single strand conformation polymorphisms.  BioTechniques  37:46-50.
• M.S.Thomson and R.W. Beeman, 1999. Assisted suicide of a selfish gene. J Hered 90:191-194.
• M.S. Thomson and A. LaBonne, 1998. Maternal effect of a hybrid inviability gene in Tribolium castaneum. Genetica 104:155-159.
• Beeman, R.W., M.S. Thomson, J.M. Clark, M.A. DeCamillis, Susan J. Brown, and R.E. Denell, 1996. Woot, an active, gypsy-class retrotransposon in the flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum, is associated with a recent mutation. Genetics 143(1):417-426.
• Thomson, M.S., R.W. Beeman, and R.E. Denell, 1995. A Hybrid incompatibility factor in Tribolium castaneum. J. Heredity 86:6-11.
• Thomson, M.S., J.W. Jacobson and C.C. Laurie. 1991. Comparison of alcohol dehydrogenase expression in Drosophila melanogaster and D. simulans. Molecular Biol. Evol. 8:31-48.
• Laurie, C.C., E.M. Heath, J.W. Jacobson and M.S. Thomson. 1991. The difference in alcohol dehydrogenase expression in Drosophila melanogaster and D. simulans is due to trans-acting modifier genes. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 87:9674-9678.
• Thomson, M.S. and R.E. Stinner. 1990. The scale response of Trichogramma (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae): variation among species in host specificity and the effect of conditioning. Entomophaga 35:7-21.
• Thomson, M.S. and R.E. Stinner. 1989. Trichogramma spp. (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae): field hosts and multiple parasitism in North Carolina. J. Entomol. Science 24:230-238.
• Pinto, J.D., E.R. Oatman and M.S. Thomson. 1986. Trichogramma nomlaki Pinto and Oatman (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae)- A reinterpretation of genitalic homologies and new distribution records. Proc. Entomol. Soc. Wash. 88:142-144.
• Thomson, M. S. and J. N. All. 1984. The use of oviposition on artificial substrates as a survey tool for the fall armyworm. Fla. Entomol. 67:349-357.
• Thomson, M. S. and J. N. All. 1983. Distribution of fall armyworm egg masses on sweet corn. J. Georgia Entomol. Soc. 18:219-224.
• Thomson, M. S. and J. N. All. 1982. Oviposition by the fall armyworm onto stake flags and the influence of flag color and height. J. Georgia Entomol. Soc. 17:206-210.
• Battigelli, M. C., M. C. Madden and M. S. Thomson. 1982. Tachyphylaxis in histamine inhalation: Experiments with normal and asthmatic volunteers. Am. Rev. Resp. Disease 125:254.