Joe Maddox at ease in the field.
Joe's interests and influence are far ranging in the world of insect pathogens and biological control of pest insects. His major area of study has been insect pathogenic protozoa, specifically the microsporidia. He has described or characterized several species of microsporidia pathogenic to pest insects, including the gypsy moth, alfalfa weevil, green stink bug, and fall webworm, as well as microsporidian species infecting the purslane sawfly, collembola, and hangingflies. In addition to taxonomic studies, Joe is also a recognized expert on microsporidian epizootiology and biology. He has studied the environmental persistence of the infective spore forms of microsporidia and methods for the long-term storage of these pathogens. His laboratory currently houses the world's largest collection of living microspo-ridian pathogens.
In addition to his studies of microsporidia, Joe has done extensive work on the epizootiology of entomopathogenic fungi, including pathogens of the European corn borer, potato leafhopper, and alfalfa weevil. He has participated in studies of other pathogen groups including protozoa, other than microsporidia, that are pathogenic to insects and plants, Bacillus thuringiensis, and insect viruses. He has also studied the degradation of microbes in soil.
An affiliate with the Department of Entomology at the University of Illinois, Joe taught a graduate-level course in insect pathology and was consistently on the list of excellent teachers at the university. He also taught a summer pathology course associated with the Midwest Biological Control Institute designed to fill deficits in graduate curricula at universities in 12 midwestern states.
Joe Maddox at ease in the field.
Along with his work in the Midwest, Joe has spearheaded international studies of microsporidia pathogenic to pest insects. He studied pathogens of mosquitoes in Pakistan as possible biological control agents and recently has been a major contributor to an international collaboration of European and American scientists in the study of several species of microspo-ridia pathogenic to the gypsy moth. For these studies on gypsy moth microsporidia, Joe conducted foreign exploration for new isolates of microsporidia in Portugal, Central Europe, and Siberia; prepared species descriptions; studied the biology of the pathogens; participated in release studies; conducted extensive host specificity experiments; and served as consultant to scientists in Austria, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Germany, and
Slovakia. In addition to these international activities, he currently participates in biological control teaching and exploration programs with the Pan American School of Agriculture in Honduras.
At the national level, Joe served on the external advisory board for the National Biological Control Institute. He also participated in and edited the proceedings of the National Audubon Society workshop on Host Specificity of Biological Control Agents. He is a much respected member of the Society for Invertebrate Pathology and has held several offices in the society.
A classical insect pathologist with wide-ranging interests, Joe's expertise is sought by scientists in the Midwest as well as other regions in the U.S. and internationally. A measure of the man is the devotion of his students and staff, the trust and admiration of his colleagues, and a constantly ringing telephone. Joe is considered a mentor and a friend by students and colleagues alike. He will be honored with emeritus status at retirement and plans to continue his work in insect pathology.
Colleagues and Friends of Joe Maddox
Next Article
Index
to This Issue
Index to
Survey Reports
INHS Home Page
Please report any problems with or suggestions about this page to:
inhspubs@mail.inhs.uiuc.edu
Subject: INHSPUB-00462
Last Modified 4/21/97