George Samantsidis
Postdoctoral Associate
My research interests focus on understanding the mechanisms shaping host-pathogen interactions in one of the deadliest animals in the world, mosquitoes. With mosquito midgut epithelium constituting the main hub of pathogen proliferation, development, and dissemination, my research efforts are concentrated on delineating the mechanisms regulating epithelial integrity and innate immunity. Using Aedes aegypti as system, I will develop genetic tools to study the composition of midgut epithelium, as well as the role of genes involved in tissue regeneration in response to pathogen infection. With the intent to expand on the limited genetic resources in the mosquito research community, my research will provide further insights into the intestinal physiology and innate immunity, which are major determinants of vector competence and disease transmission.
I earned my PhD in Biology in 2022 from University of Crete in Greece, where I conducted my thesis under the supervision of Dr. John Vontas. My work covered several topics of molecular entomology with a particular focus on genome engineering in Drosophila and tissue cultures. Before I joined the Buchon lab in 2024, I was affiliated with Iowa State University working with Dr. Ryan Smith on mosquito immune cells. During this time, we established a set of genetic tools to study the hemocyte populations of the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae. Our research revealed the role of the mosquito TNF signaling in regulating hemocyte function and suppressing the development of the murine malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei.
Email: gsamantsidis@cornell.edu
I earned my PhD in Biology in 2022 from University of Crete in Greece, where I conducted my thesis under the supervision of Dr. John Vontas. My work covered several topics of molecular entomology with a particular focus on genome engineering in Drosophila and tissue cultures. Before I joined the Buchon lab in 2024, I was affiliated with Iowa State University working with Dr. Ryan Smith on mosquito immune cells. During this time, we established a set of genetic tools to study the hemocyte populations of the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae. Our research revealed the role of the mosquito TNF signaling in regulating hemocyte function and suppressing the development of the murine malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei.
Email: gsamantsidis@cornell.edu