Dr. Adela Oliva Chavez | Entomology | Young Scientist Award
Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin, Madison
Dr. Adela Sarahi Oliva Chávez is an Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, in the Department of Entomology. She specializes in vector-borne diseases, particularly tick-pathogen interactions, immunology, and vaccine development. She previously held positions as an Assistant Professor at Texas A&M University and a Post-Doctoral Researcher at the University of Maryland and CIRAD. Dr. Oliva Chávez has secured over $1.35 million in research funding and has been featured in prominent media outlets. Her work focuses on understanding extracellular vesicles in ticks to develop novel vaccines and control strategies against tick-borne pathogens.
Profile
🎓 Education
Dr. Oliva Chávez earned her Ph.D. in Entomology from the University of Minnesota (2008–2013) and her M.Sc. in Entomology from the same institution (2005–2008). She holds a B.Sc. in Agricultural Engineering from the Pan-American School of Agriculture “Zamorano” in Honduras (2000–2003). Her academic journey has been centered on entomology, vector-borne diseases, and host-pathogen interactions.
👩🏫 Professional Experience
Dr. Oliva Chávez is currently an Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and an Affiliated Assistant Professor in the Department of Pathobiological Sciences. Previously, she was an Assistant Professor at Texas A&M University (2019–2023) and a Post-Doctoral Researcher at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (2016–2019) and CIRAD in Guadeloupe (2014–2016). Her research has focused on tick immunology, disease transmission, and vaccine development.
🏆 Awards & Honors
Dr. Oliva Chávez has received numerous competitive research grants, including USDA NIFA and USDA ARS funding, totaling over $1.35 million. Her work has been featured in media outlets like Texas Farm Bureau and Today at TAMU. She has also received internal grants from Texas A&M University, recognizing her contributions to vector-borne disease research.
🔬 Research Focus
Dr. Oliva Chávez’s research investigates tick-host-pathogen interactions, extracellular vesicles in ticks, and vaccine development to control tick-borne diseases. Her work integrates molecular biology, immunology, and genetics to develop novel tick control strategies. She has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals on tick-borne pathogens, acaricide resistance, and immunomodulation mechanisms in vector biology.
Conclusion
Dr. Adela Sarahi Oliva Chávez is an exceptional candidate for the Young Scientist Award. Her extensive academic achievements, groundbreaking research in tick-borne diseases, significant funding accomplishments, and dedication to mentorship and scholarly contributions establish her as a leader in the field of entomology. While there are opportunities to broaden her impact through additional outreach and diversification of research focus, her qualifications and contributions clearly merit recognition with this award.
Publication
Authors: EE McClure, ASO Chávez, DK Shaw, JA Carlyon, RR Ganta, SM Noh
Title: Engineering of obligate intracellular bacteria: progress, challenges and paradigms
Year: 2017
Citation Count: 161
Authors: CM Nelson, MJ Herron, RF Felsheim, BR Schloeder, SM Grindle
Title: Whole genome transcription profiling of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in human and tick host cells by tiling array analysis
Year: 2008
Citation Count: 135
Authors: DK Shaw, X Wang, LJ Brown, ASO Chávez, KE Reif, AA Smith
Title: Infection-derived lipids elicit an immune deficiency circuit in arthropods
Year: 2017
Citation Count: 123
Authors: DG Quadros, TL Johnson, TR Whitney, JD Oliver, AS Oliva Chávez
Title: Plant-derived natural compounds for tick pest control in livestock and wildlife: Pragmatism or Utopia?
Year: 2020
Citation Count: 64
Authors: RF Felsheim, ASO Chávez, GH Palmer, L Crosby, AF Barbet
Title: Transformation of Anaplasma marginale
Year: 2010
Citation Count: 58
Authors: GD Baldridge, TJ Kurtti, N Burkhardt, AS Baldridge, CM Nelson
Title: Infection of Ixodes scapularis ticks with Rickettsia monacensis expressing green fluorescent protein: a model system
Year: 2007
Citation Count: 55
Authors: AS Oliva Chávez, DK Shaw, UG Munderloh, JHF Pedra
Title: Tick humoral responses: marching to the beat of a different drummer
Year: 2017
Citation Count: 50
Authors: AS Oliva Chávez, X Wang, L Marnin, NK Archer, HL Hammond
Title: Tick extracellular vesicles enable arthropod feeding and promote distinct outcomes of bacterial infection
Year: 2021
Citation Count: 45
Authors: EE McClure Carroll, X Wang, DK Shaw, AJ O’Neal, AS Oliva Chávez
Title: p47 licenses activation of the immune deficiency pathway in the tick Ixodes scapularis
Year: 2019
Citation Count: 45
Authors: M Pham, J Underwood, AS Oliva Chávez
Title: Changing the recipe: Pathogen directed changes in tick saliva components
Year: 2021
Citation Count: 33