Indian River State College Students Help Decode Genome of Destructive Citrus Disease Vector

January 13, 2025 Indian River State College

FORT PIERCE, FL (January 13, 2025)— A groundbreaking research collaboration led, in part, by Indian River State College Professor Tom D’Elia has resulted in the successful annotation of the Asian citrus psyllid genome, marking a significant advancement in the fight against citrus greening disease. The research, published in GigaScience, represents a remarkable achievement in both scientific discovery and undergraduate education, featuring 28 Indian River State College student co-authors.

"This achievement exemplifies Indian River State College's commitment to providing transformative educational experiences that prepare our students for the demands of tomorrow's workforce," said Dr. Timothy E. Moore, President of Indian River State College. "The involvement of our students in such high-level research demonstrates the exceptional opportunities available at our institution and highlights our role in addressing critical challenges facing our region."

The multi-year project, funded through two rounds of USDA-NIFA grants, brought together researchers and students from Indian River State College, USDA-ARS, the Boyce Thompson Institution, Cornell University, Kansas State University, and the University of Cincinnati. Their collaborative efforts have produced the third and most comprehensive version of the psyllid genome, which is now freely available to researchers worldwide through citrusgreening.org.

Dr. Anthony Dribben, Dean of Sciences at Indian River State College, highlighted the project's alignment with Indian River State College’s educational mission: "This publication exemplifies the transformative power of hands-on research experience in undergraduate education. Through Dr. D'Elia's leadership, our students have participated in cutting-edge genomic research that advances their academic careers and contributes to solving a critical agricultural challenge facing our region. This project sets a standard for how we can integrate meaningful research experiences into our science programs."

"This publication represents the culmination of a unique research partnership that began in 2015," said Professor D'Elia. "Our students worked alongside leading scientists to analyze complex genomic data, contributing to research that addresses a critical agricultural challenge."

Citrus greening disease, transmitted by the Asian citrus psyllid, has devastated Florida's citrus industry, causing over $7 billion in lost revenue and thousands of lost jobs since 2005. The newly published genome annotation provides essential data for researchers developing strategies to combat this destructive pathogen.

The project's educational impact has been equally significant. Of the 28 Indian River State College student authors, 10 have advanced to graduate programs, including MS, PhD, and medical school, while others have launched successful careers in scientific fields. Students gained hands-on experience in bioinformatics, analyzing DNA, RNA, and protein sequences, and participated in the manual curation process that ensures genome accuracy.

Dr. Heather Belmont, provost of Indian River State College, emphasized the broader implications of this research success: "This collaboration showcases the caliber of undergraduate research taking place at Indian River State College. Through initiatives like this, we are not just teaching science – we are empowering our students to be active contributors to scientific discovery while addressing real-world challenges that affect our community."

"This collaborative approach has provided our students with authentic, real-world research experiences," D'Elia noted. "They've developed critical skills in team-based problem-solving while contributing to a project with significant agricultural and economic implications."

The research has also influenced curriculum development at Indian River State College, helping to create new pathways for training future scientists. The project demonstrates the College’s commitment to providing undergraduate students with meaningful research opportunities that can launch successful careers in science.

Click here to read the complete research paper.

About Indian River State College: Indian River State College, serving Florida's Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, and Okeechobee counties, offers high-quality, affordable education to 23,000 students annually through traditional and online courses. The College provides more than 120 programs leading to bachelor's degrees, associate degrees, technical certificates, and applied technology diplomas. For more information, visit irsc.edu.