Research
Intro
I am interested in exploring how environmental variation and biotic stressors affect physiological and behavioral response of microbes, plants, and insects, as well as the implications at the population and community levels. My research integrates the following fields:
Ecology and Evolution Microbiomes/Viromes under Environmental Extremes
Applications: Bioremediation
Interactive Stressors -abiotic and biotic.
Extreme Temperatures-Pollution-Pathogenic Infections
Behavioral Ecology: Foraging-Experimental Methods
Behavioral ecology: trial-error dynamics
Global Change Effects on Chemical Biocommunication
Conservation Physiology
Ecotoxicology and Management of Species
Who I am
I have adopted an integrative approach that combines functional genomics, physiology, chemical ecology, behavioral ecology, population and community ecology, and artificial intelligence.
I earned my Ph.D. from Pennsylvania State University and my BS in Biology at the National University of Colombia.
Publications
Porras MF, Navas C, Marden J, Mescher MC, De Moraes CM, et al.2020. Enhanced heat tolerance of viral-infected aphids leads to niche expansion and reduced interspecific competition. Nature Comm. 11, 1184. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-14953-2.
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Porras MF, Meza JS, Rajotte E, Bourtzis K, Caceres-Barrios CE. 2020. Improving the Phenotypic Properties of the Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae) Temperature-Sensitive Lethal Genetic Sexing Strain in Support of Sterile Insect Technique Applications J. Econ. Entomol. https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toaa220
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Mitzy F. Porras, Gustavo A. Agudelo-Cantero, M. Geovanni Santiago-Martínez, Carlos A. Navas, Volker Loeschcke, Jesper Givskov Sørensen, Edwin G. Rajotte https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-00248-z
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Porras M, De Moraes CM, Mescher MC, Rajotte EG, Carlo T. 2018. Viruses promote facilitative interactions between aphids. Scientific Reports 8. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-30023-6
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Complete list of publications
19. Klin O, Phan N, Porras MF, Chavana J, Little C, Stemet L, Biddinger DJ, Reddy G.V., Rajotte EG,Joshi NK. 2023. et al. Biology, GeneticDiversity, and Conservation of Wild Bees in Tree Fruit Orchards. Biology 2023, 12, 31.
18. Porras MF, Lopez-Londoño T, Duque J, Navas CA, Camargo E, Cuervo J, Gamba D, Castañeda L, Pardo J, Sandoval A, Rajotte EG. 2022. Science & Rock Fest: Connecting People and Science through Music and Arts. American Entomologist. 64.
17. Porras MF, McCartney N, Raspotnig G, Rajotte EG. 2022. Chemical footprints mediate habitat selection in co-occurring aphids. Behavioral Ecology. arac076, https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arac076
16. Porras MF, Malacrinò A, An H, Hian Seng K, Socheath O, Norton G, Miller S, Rosa C, Rajotte E, O’Rourke ME. 2022. An integrated pest management package outperforms conventional practices for tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) in Cambodia. Plant Health Progress
15. Porras MF, Agudelo-Cantero G, Santiago, G, Navas CA, Loeschcke V, Sørensen JG, Rajotte EG. 2021.Fungal infections lead to shifts in thermal tolerance and voluntary exposure to extreme temperatures in both prey and predator insects. Scientific Reports. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-00248-z
14. Porras MF, Navas C, Marden J, De Moraes CM, et al.2020. Enhanced heat tolerance of viral-infected aphids leads to niche expansion and reduced interspecific competition. Nature Communications. 11, 1184. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-14953-2
13. Porras MF, Meza JS, Rajotte E, Bourtzis K., Caceres-Barrios CE. 2020. Improving the Phenotypic Properties of the Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae) Temperature-Sensitive Lethal Genetic Sexing Strain in Support of Sterile Insect Technique Applications J. Econ. Entomol. https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toaa220
12. Porras MF, Lopez T, Rosh J, Biddinger D, Calvin D, Rajotte EG. 2020. A method for a long-term marking of spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) using a stable isotope of nitrogen. Env. Entomol. 1-5.
11. Keller J, Rost J, Hoover K, Urban J, Leach H, Porras M, Walsh B, Bosold M, Calvin D, Dispersion Patterns and Sample Size Estimates for Egg Masses of Spotted Lanternfly (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae), Env. Entomol., nvaa107.
10. Porras M, De Moraes CM, Mescher MC, Rajotte EG, Carlo T. 2018. Viruses promote facilitative interactions between aphids. Scientific Reports 8. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-30023-6
9. Carvajalino-Fernández J, Porras MF, Ortega Chinchilla JE, Barrientos L. 2017. Vocalizations of an endangered species: Description of release calls of Atelopus nahumae, an endemic species from the Masiff Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (Colombia). Herpetologia 48:273-275.
8. Carvajalino-Fernández J, Porras MF. 2013. Altitudinal and life zone extension of the Harlequin frog Atelopus laetissimus, in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia. Herpetological Bulletin (125): 18-21.
7. Carvajalino-Fernández J, Saboyá-Acosta L, Padilla C, Escarraga-Fajardo M, Porras MF. 2012. New records of the harlequin frog Atelopus nahumae, in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (Colombia), with notes of its distribution (Anura: Bufonidae). Herpetozoa 24 (3/4):29-36.
6. Porras MF. 2011. Una vibrante y luminosa combinación de colores: nuevas especies de saltamontes payaso Paramastax (Orthoptera: Eumastacidae). [A vibrant and bright color combination: new species of clown grasshoppers Paramastax (Orthoptera: Eumastacidae)]. Revista Colombiana de Entomología 37 (1): 140-144.
5. Porras MF. 2010. The monkey grasshoppers, genus Zeromastax Porras (Orthoptera: Eumastacidae): two new species from Neotropic. Zootaxa. 2669: 34–44.
4. Porras MF, López-Ávila A. 2009. Lethal effects of saponin extracts from Sapindus saponaria on the greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae. Revista Colombiana de Entomología 35 (1): 7-11.
3. Porras MF. 2009. Del Carnaval al estereoscopio (Orthoptera: Eumastacidae), un nuevo género de saltamontes payaso. [From carnival to stereoscope: a new genus of monkey grasshoppers]. Revista Colombiana de Entomología 33(1): 73-79.
2. Carbonell CS, Rowell CHF, Bentos-Pereira A, Porras MF. 2007. Checklist of Orthoptera Caelifera from Colombia. Zootaxa 1594: 39-59.
1. Porras MF, Bentos A. 2005. Un Eslabón entre dos géneros de saltamontes payaso (Orthoptera: Eumastacidae) una nueva especie de Colombia. [A link between two genera of monkey grasshoppers: a new species from Colombia]. Revista Colombiana de Entomología 31(2): 227-228.
Book chapter:
Porras MF. 2010. Orthoptera. In: Amat, G. Biodiversidad Regional Santa María, Boyacá, Colombia [Orthoptera: Regional Biodiversity of Santa Maria (Boyaca) Field Guide]. Guía de Campo. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales No. 5. ISBN: 978-958-719-372-5. Universidad Nacional de Colombia. 96-103.
Science & Rock Fest
Research experience
- Researcher, Penn State University
- Insect and plant microbiomes.
- Impacts of multiple stressors on thermal tolerance, behavior, and metabolims of Osmia corniforns, O. liganria, and Apis mellifera.
- Microbes under environmental extremes.
- Ecotoxicology of systemic pesticides. (March 2021-present)
- Postdoctoral associate, Penn State University
- Impacts of pathogen infection on thermal tolerance and behavior of prey and predator insects, Invasive species.
- Integrated Pest Management Extension. (2019-Feb. 2021)
- Graduate assistant researcher, Penn State University, Fulbright, University Park, PA. Virus mediates competition and facilitation in aphids. (2012-2016/2018)
- Fellow researcher, FAO-UN-International Atomic Energy Agency, Laboratory of pest control. New Medfly Ceratitis capitata V9 and pheromones of Bactrocera tryoni hybrids. (2017)
- Visiting researcher, University of Sao Paulo, Evolutionary Physiology lab. (2014)
- Researcher, Dow Agro Sciences, Bogota-Colombia. Insecticide evaluation in exotic passiflora orchards. (Feb.-June 2011)
- Researcher, University of Sao Paulo, Dept. of Physiology, Brazil. Thermal biology of Atelopus. July- Oct.
- Researcher, Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria, Corpoica, Colombia, Spodoptera frugiperda biology and biological control. (2010)
- Researcher, Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria, Corpoica, Colombia, The interaction between Bemisia tabaci- Encarsia formosa- Lecanicillium lecani Nov/09-Dec/2011
- Visiting researcher, Biofabrica Moscamed, Brazil, Reproductive biology of Ceratitis capitata Viena 8. (June-July 2007)
- Visiting researcher, Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuaria-Embrapa, Brazil, Diachasmimorpha longicaudata biology. (June 2007)
- Researcher, Institute of Biodiversity Research, Alexander Von Humboldt, Villa de Leyva, Colombia. Orthoptera, Sub-Orden Caelifera identification. (Dec. 2004)
Events
Trial and error dynamics behind the research on the role of microbes on thermal tolerance Subscribe the channel!----->https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpcPLyggcTHmL_-8PpJu5dQ
Hello everyone 👋🏻!! Tomorrow is the super event "Physio Webinars Spin-off: Advanced Topics in Thermal Biology", you won't be left out right?!