Elizabeth W. Davidson
Insect and Amphibian Pathology
Dr. Davidson is a pathologist, with research interests in diseases of lower animals, specifically amphibians and insects. Much of her earlier research centered around the bacterial pathogen of mosquitoes, Bacillus sphaericus , which kills the mosquito larva by means of a complex of protein toxins. In recent years this laboratory also became involved in research on the silverleaf whitefly, Bemesia argentifolii , in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Since 1995 we have focused on diseases of the endangered Sonoran tiger salamander, Ambystoma tigrinum stebbinsi , in collaboration with Dr. James Collins, and have described a new highly pathogenic virus from this amphibian. This discovery has led to collaboration with a large group of scientists in three countries, studying the influence of diseases on amphibian decline world-wide. We have found another disease, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis , in salamanders as well. Our laboratory is currently studying mechanisms by which these pathogens bypass the immune systems of their hosts, and the ecology of the pathogens in the field.
Our laboratory has enjoyed international collaborations with scientists in England, Singapore, Switzerland, Australia, Brazil, Turkey, Israel, and France.
Dr. Davidson teaches a course on bioethics entitled Professional Values in Science, which examines current issues of ethical concern to undergraduate and graduate students, and to the public at large.
Selected Publications
Brunner, J.L., Schock, D.M., Davidson, E.W., and Collins, J.P. 2004. Intraspecific reservoirs: complex life history and the persistence of a lethal ranavirus. Ecology 85(2): 560-566.
Jancovich, J.K., Mao, J., Chinchar, V.G., Wyatt, C., Case, S.T., Kumar, S., Valente, G., Subramanian, S., Davidson, E.W., Collins, J.P. and Jacobs, B.J. 2003. Genomic sequence of a ranavirus associated with salamander mortalities in North America. Virology, 316 (1), 90-103 (2003).
Collins, J. P. , Cohen , N, Davidson , E.W., Longcore, J., and Storfer, A., 2003. Chapter 6: Global Amphibian Declines: an Interdisciplinary Research Challenge for the Twenty-First Century, in Declining Amphibians: A United States' Response to the Global Phenomenon. M.J. Lannoo, Ed. Univ. Calif. Press, in press.
Davidson, E.W., Parris, M., Collins, J.P., Longcore, J.E., Pessier, A. and Brunner, J. 2003. Pathogenicity and transmission of chytridiomycosis in tiger salamanders ( Ambystoma tigrinum ). Copeia 2003(3): 196-201.
Rosell, R.C., Davidson, E.W., Jancovich, J.K., Hendrix, D.L. and Brown, J.K. 2003. Size exclusion limitations in the filter chamber and digestive tract of nymphal and adult Bemisia tabaci whiteflies. Annals Entomological Society of America, 96(4)544-552.
Davidson, E.W., Jancovich, J.K., Borland, S., Newbery, M., and Gresens, J. 2003. Dermal lesions, hemorrhage, and limb swelling in laboratory axolotls. Lab Animal 32(3):23-25.
Carey C., Bradford D.F., Brunner, J.L., Collins, J.P., Davidson, E.W., Longcore, J.E., Ouellet M., Pessier A.P., Schock, D.M. (2003) Biotic factors in amphibian population declines. In: Linder, G., Sparling, D.W. and Krest, S.K. (eds) Amphibian Decline: an integrated analysis of multiple stressor effects. Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 153-208.
Davidson, E.W., Farmer, F.E. and Jones, W.A. 2002. Artificially-reared whiteflies, Bemisia argentifolii , as hosts for parasitic wasps. Florida Entomologist, 85:474-480 .
Jancovich, J.K., Davidson, E.W., Seilor, A. and Jacobs, B. 2001. Transmission of the Ambystoma tigrinum virus to alternative hosts. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, 46:159-163.
Davidson, E.W., Cate, H.E., Lewis, C.M. Jr. and Hunter, M. 2001. Data manipulation in the undergraduate laboratory: what are we teaching? Proceed. Conference, Research on Research Integrity, Office of Research Integrity.
Collins, J. P , Cohen, N, Davidson, E.W., Longcore, J., and Storfer, A., 2000.Global amphibian declines and the challenge of how to do science, in Lanoo, M. ed. Status and Conservation of US Amphibians, Vol. 1. Univ. Calif. Press.
Davidson, E.W., Fay, M., Blackmer, J. and Lavine, M. 2000. Improved artificial feeding system for rearing the whitefly, Bemisia argentifolii. Fla. Entomol., 83(4):459-468
Chiou, C-K., Davidson, E.W., Thanabalu, T., Porter, A.G. and Allen, J.P. 1999. Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction studies of the 51 kDa protein of the mosquito-larvicidal binary toxin from Bacillus sphaericus. Acta Crystallographica, D 55, 1083-1085 (1999).
Davidson, E.W., Rosell, R. and Hendrix, D.L. 1998. Culturable bacteria, including an infectious species, associated with the silverleaf whitefly, Bemisia argentifolii. Fla. Entomol. 83: 159-171.
Jancovich, J.K., Davidson, E.W., Morado, J.F., Jacobs, B.L. and Collins, J.P. 1997. Isolation of a lethal virus from the endangered tiger salamander, Ambystoma tigrinum stebbinsi Lowe. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, 31:161-167.
Cokmus, C., Davidson, E.W. and Cooper, K. 1997 Electrophysiological effects of Bacillus sphaericus binary toxin on cultured mosquito cells. J. Invertebr. Pathol., 69: 197-204.
Jancovich, J.K., Davidson, E.W., Lavine, M. and Hendrix, D.L. 1997. Feeding chamber and diet for culture of nymphal silverleaf whitefly, Bemesia argentifolii. J. Econ. Entomol., 90: 628-633.