IUCRC Phase III University of Florida: Center for Arthropod Management Technologies (CAMTech)

昆虫和线虫害虫造成了相当大比例的农业粮食生产损失。此外，有些昆虫还把疾病传染给植物或人类。发展新的有害生物管理办法对于可持续地为不断增加的人口生产足够的粮食和预防节肢动物传播给植物和人类的疾病至关重要。气候条件变化造成的害虫分布扩大，以及对现有防治剂产生抗药性，都是目前面临的重大挑战。节肢动物管理技术中心（CAMTech）致力于促进对影响农业和人类健康的主要昆虫和线虫害虫的有效管理。该中心通过最先进的研究解决了对特定知识的需求，并提供了研究工具，以加快害虫管理解决方案的交付。工业伙伴可以利用这些研究数据和工具为市场制定新的虫害防治战略，并扩大现有管理方法的效用。作为第三阶段的产学研合作研究中心（IUCRC）， CAMTech将继续为学术界、政府和工业界的创新、跨学科研究活动提供平台。该中心使用先进的方法进行对工业部门至关重要的竞争前研究，包括基于实验室的3D细胞培养，基因组编辑和单细胞RNA测序，以及基于现场的害虫损害航空图像。研究领域包括：组学、生理学、抗性、病虫害综合治理（IPM）和工具。该中心促进多元化，并为工业部门潜在的未来就业培训人员。佛罗里达大学的研究专长包括昆虫生理学和毒理学、微生物学、综合病虫害管理和农业线虫学。佛罗里达大学的参与者从事多样化的农业和对城市和公共卫生具有重要意义的各种有害生物的工作，这些有害生物是由于大量入侵物种加上害虫种群青睐的亚热带气候造成的。农业生物技术和人类健康领域的行业研究需求与大学参与者的专业知识相一致，为农业的可持续性和公众福祉提供了快速发展的有害生物管理解决方案。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

A considerable proportion of agricultural food production is lost to insect and nematode pests. In addition, some insects transmit disease to plants or to humans. The development of new pest management approaches is critical for the sustainable production of sufficient food for the increasing human population, and for prevention of arthropod-transmitted disease to plants and humans. The expansion of pest distribution resulting from changes in climatic conditions and the development of resistance to current control agents, both present significant ongoing challenges. The Center for Arthropod Management Technologies (CAMTech) addresses issues to facilitate effective management of the major insect and nematode pests that impact agriculture and human health. The center addresses the need for specific knowledge through state-of-the-art research and provides research tools to expedite delivery of pest management solutions. Industry partners can utilize these research data and tools to develop new pest control strategies for the marketplace and to extend the utility of current management approaches. As a Phase III Industry University Cooperative Research Center (IUCRC), CAMTech will continue to serve as a platform for innovative, interdisciplinary research activities at the interface of academia, government, and industry. The center conducts pre-competitive research of crucial importance to the industrial sector using advanced methods ranging from lab-based 3D cell culture, genome editing and single-cell RNA sequencing, to field-based aerial imagery of pest damage. Research focus areas are: ‘omics, physiology, resistance, integrated pest management (IPM) and tools. The center promotes diversity and trains personnel for potential future employment within the industrial sector. Research expertise at the University of Florida includes insect physiology and toxicology, microbiology, integrated pest management and agricultural nematology. University of Florida participants work with a diverse agriculture and a wide range of pests of urban and public health importance, resulting from the large number of invasive species combined with a sub-tropical climate favored by pest populations. The research needs of industries in the agricultural biotechnology and human health domains are aligned with the expertise of university participants providing for the expedited development of pest management solutions to the benefit of agricultural sustainability and to public wellbeing.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.