Vinnie Alteshtein

Specific topics:
1. Studies of neuroendocrine mechanisms in moths (sex pheromone biosynthesis, melanization, pupariation, muscle contraction, diapause).
2. Rational design of environment friendly non-toxic insect control agents based on disruption of the neuroendocrine system (i.e., design of neuropeptide-antagonist based insecticides).
3. Studies of bioavailability (penetrability through the cuticle) of compounds into insects.
4. Development of receptor based high throughput screening assays for discovery of new insect control agents.
5. Development of novel probes and immunochemical/microarray methods for monitoring pesticide residues from water, food and environmental samples.

1969 – 1972:         B.Sc. Biology, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
1972 – 1974:         M.Sc. Virology, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
1979 – 1984:         Ph.D. Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel.
1984 – 1987:         Post doc, Neurochemistry, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA.
1987 – current:      Full Professor, Volcani Center, ARO, Israel.
2000 – 2002:         Sabbatical, Cell Biology and Neurosciences, UCR,
Riverside CA, USA.
2007 – 2010          Guest lecturer: “Food Toxicology”, Hebrew University of
Jerusalem, Faculty of Agriculture, Rehovot, Israel.