My research is centered on the understanding of the biochemical and molecular basis of insect midgut physiology and interactions of the midgut with host plants and microbial pathogens. The research objectives primarily cover two aspects. The first is focused on the biochemistry and molecular biology of the insect midgut. This major research focus aims at the understanding of important physiological and defensive mechanisms in the midgut and identifying novel target sites for insect control. The second is to apply the fundamental knowledge obtained from the basic studies to development of insect control strategies.
My current research projects are focused on the identification and functional studies of midgut genes and their protein products from a lepidopteran, Trichoplusia ni. Particularly, I am interested in the midgut genes and their products that play important roles in metabolism of and adaptation to plant chemicals, in interaction with microbial pathogens and in resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis toxins. The long term objectives of my researches include elucidation of defense and resistance mechanisms of insects against insecticidal chemicals and microbial pathogens, identification of new insect target sites (mechanisms) and development of novel strategies for insect control with the knowledge obtained from my basic studies.

Societies
American Society of Entomology
Society for Invertebrate Pathology
American Society for Microbiology

Current Students
Xiaozhao Song, PhD, Entomology, Cornell University
Jian Zhou, PhD, Entomology, Cornell Univeristy (minor advisor)

Former Students
Xin Zhang (MS, 2006), Entomology, Cornell University
Frank Rinkevich (MS, 2004), Entomology, Cornell University (minor advisor)
Ayesa Paul (2004), Entomology, Cornell University (minor advisor)

CURRENT AND FORMER POSTDOCTORAL AND VISITING SCIENTISTS
Jianghong Li, 2007 –   
Seangdeun Moonsom, 2007
Xinwei Hou, 2006
Changyou Li, 2004 – 2006
Wei Guo, 2003 – 2005
Jie Zhang, 2002 – 2003
Guoxun Li, 2002

Publications

• Wang, P., Rodrigo, A., Zhao, J.-Z., Guo, W., Kain, W., Ferre, J., Shelton, A. and Myers, J. (2007) Mechanism of resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis toxin Cry1Ac in cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 73: 1199-1207.
  
  
• Guo, W., Li, G., Pang, Y. and Wang, P. (2005) A novel chitin-binding protein identified from the peritrophic membrane of the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni. Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 35: 1224-1234.
  
  
• Wang, P., Zhang, X. and Zhang, J. (2005) Molecular characterization of four midgut aminopeptidase N isozymes from the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni . Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 35: 611-620.
  
  
• Wang, P., Li, G. and Kain, W. (2004) Characterization and cDNA cloning of midgut carboxypeptidases from Trichoplusia ni. Insect Biochemistry and Moleclar Biology 34: 831-843.
  
  
• Kain, W. C., Zhao, J.-Z., Janmaat, A. F., Myers, J., Shelton, A. M. and P. Wang. (2004) Inheritance of resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ac toxin in a greenhouse-derived strain of cabbage looper (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Journal of Economic Entomology 97: 2073-2078.
  
  
• Wang, P., G. Li and Granados, R. R. (2004) Identification of two new peritrophic membrane proteins from larval Trichoplusia ni: structural characteristics and their functions in the protease rich insect gut. Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 34: 215-227.
  
  
• Wang, P. and Granados, R. R. (2000) Calcofluor disrupts the midgut defense system in insects. Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 30: 135-143.
  
  
• Wang, P. and Granados, R. R. (1997) An intestinal mucin is the target substrate for a baculovirus enhancin. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of USA 94: 6977-6982.
  
  
• Wang, P., Hammer, D. A. and Granados, R. R. (1997) Binding and fusion of Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus to cultured insect cells. Journal of General Virology 78: 3081-3089.

Recent Invited Presentations:

• Wang, P. 2006. Biochemical and molecular basis of defense mechanisms in the insect midgut. International Insect Science Symposium, Beijing, China.
  
  
• Wang, P. 2006. What mechanisms of Bt-resistance may insect populations develop in the field? Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Cornell University.
  
  
• Wang, P. 2005. Bt-resistance in cabbage looper: An opportunity to study Bt-resistance mechanisms in field populations of insects. Jugatae Seminar, Department of Entomology, Cornell University.
  
  
• Wang, P. 2004. Biochemical and molecular basis of defense mechanisms in the midgut of cabbage looper. Department of Entomology, Rutgers University.
  
  
• Wang, P. 2003. Understanding the biochemistry of the insect midgut. Department of Entomology, Pennsylvania State University.
  
  
• Wang, P. 2003. Function of the peritrophic membrane in viral pathogenesis. Annual Meeting of the Society of Invertebrate Pathology, Burlington, VT.