Tyler Pohlenz

Tyler Pohlenz, Ph.D is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Entomology at Texas A&M University. His research interests lie broadly in the areas of vector biology and vector-virus interactions with a focus on the innate immune systems of disease vector mosquitoes such as Aedes aegypti. His doctoral research is focused on how the temperatures experienced by mosquitoes in breeding and resting sites affect their ability to transmit arboviruses such as Zika virus. This work addresses important questions about the biotic and abiotic factors that influence the transmission dynamics of mosquito-borne viruses. Upon graduating, Pohlenz will work for the USDA APHIS National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility working with transboundary zoonotic viruses.