Review of Bee Health

Congratulations to Dr. Gloria D Degrandi-Hoffman, Bee Researcher & USDA/ARS 2017 Area Senior Research Scientist of the Year

September 13, 2017

Editor’s Note: Congratulations to all of the award winners, each of them is a vital example of how federal employees contribute to America’s food security and well-being.

From: USDA/Agricultural Research Service

USDA’s Agricultural Research Service Honors Scientists of the Year

WASHINGTON, Sept. 12, 2017—For her groundbreaking work with food allergies, Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientist Soheila J. Maleki is the agency’s Distinguished Senior Research Scientist of the Year for 2017. Maleki, a research chemist at ARS’ Food Processing and Sensory Quality Research Unit in New Orleans, Louisiana, is one of many ARS researchers being honored for their scientific achievements.

Maleki demonstrated outstanding leadership and research accomplishments in the field of food allergy, particularly to peanuts and tree nuts. Her accomplishments include defining the biochemical effects of processing on the immunogenicity and allergenicity of food as well as determining the molecular mechanisms involved. For example, Maleki and colleagues showed that raw peanut proteins undergo specific molecular changes during roasting that alters their allergenic properties, which created a new avenue of research in the field of food allergy.

ARS also named four 2017 Area Senior Research Scientists of the Year. They are:

• Gloria DeGrandi-Hoffman, with ARS’ Honey Bee Research Unit in Tucson, Arizona (Pacific West Area), for innovative research about honey bee health and nutrition as well as her lead role in developing new pest control technologies, like HopGuard, a product which uses beta plant acids to kill Varroa mites.

Read the Complete List of Research Scientist Award Winners