Dr. Kaira Wagoner, a research scientist in the Department of Biology, has received a new $39,000 grant from Project Apis m. for her proposal, “Identification of hygiene-associated protein markers to improve selection for honey bee pest and disease resistance.” Project Apis m. is a non-profit that funds honey-bee research in the U.S. and Canada. This project is a collaboration with Dr. Leonard Foster, a researcher at the University of British Columbia.
In addition to her work as a UNCG research scientist, Wagoner is a co-founder of Optera, which has developed a compound to help beekeepers identify their most hygienic bees for breeding. This can lead to healthier, disease-resistant hives. The new funded project will utilize Optera technology for further research. Learn more about Optera in this article from UNCG Research Magazine.
