2026 Undergraduate Research Showcase
Identifying Avian Malaria from Mosquitoes Taken from Gyrfalcon Nests in Nome, Alaska
Document Type
Student Presentation
Presentation Date
4-24-2026
Faculty Sponsor
Dr. Stephanie J. Galla
Abstract
Climate change is altering the disease ecology of Arctic systems, leaving immunologically naïve Gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus) susceptible to novel pathogens. For example, avian malaria (Plasmodium spp.) has been spreading northward in Alaska. In order to understand vectors of disease in Arctic systems, mosquitoes collected from nests in Nome, Alaska were examined to characterize their diversity and examine possible diseases transmitted. Individual mosquitoes were sorted down to sex, with female mosquitoes further sorted to genus using identification keys and a dissection scope. DNA was extracted from mosquitoes using QIAGEN kits, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) along with gel electrophoresis was used to see whether avian malaria was amplified in mosquito samples. Preliminary results indicate that most mosquitoes collected assigned to the genus Aedes, which is not a typical vector for carrying avian malaria. Genetic testing for avian malaria is ongoing, with no presence being detected so far. Future directions include a modified collection method to ensure a more diverse collection of samples.
Recommended Citation
Waters, Annastasia; Kocemba, Zosha; Henderson, Michael; Beer, Kara; Booms, Travis; Tolle, Carly L.; Grimstein, Anna; and Galla, Stephanie J., "Identifying Avian Malaria from Mosquitoes Taken from Gyrfalcon Nests in Nome, Alaska" (2026). 2026 Undergraduate Research Showcase. 221.
https://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/under_showcase_2026/221