Michael Co Ma

mma.jpg

Entomology

Professor

Contact

Email: maker@umd.edu
Office Phone: 301-405-3911
Fax: 301-314-9290
Office Address: Entomology Department * Plant Sciences Building * University of Maryland * College Park, MD 20742

Teaching

  • Hybridoma technology.
  • Insect Physiology
  • Introductory Entomology (Team taught)
  • Theory and Practice of Biotechnology (Team taught)
  • Pesticide and environmental toxicology
  • ZOO 211
  • ENTM 423
  • Hybridoma Technology Workshop (ATCC)
  • ENTM 699
  • Zool 426

Research Interests

My research interests are in the areas of insect neuropeptides and agromedicine. In the area of insect neuropeptides, present emphasis is on the insect diuretic hormone Manduca diuresin (MD) identified by my group in 1992. In the past 3 years, emphasis has been on gene cloning and structure-activity relationship studies of MD. A program has been initiated on agromedicine involving the isolation of bioactive compounds that have potential for plant and animal disease control. In the past year, a full laboratory facility has been set up for the plant chemical analysis. Two projects that were started include: (1) the isolation of bioactive substances from microbial symbionts of insects, and (2) isolation of anti-fungal agents from herbal medicinal plants.

Recent Publications

  • Emery, S.B., Ma, M., Tips, A., and De Loof, A. 1994. Immunocytochemical localization of a diuretic peptide Manduca Diuresin (MasDPII) in the brain and suboesophageal gaglion of the tobacco hawkmoth Manduca sexta (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae). Arch. Insect Biochem. & Physiol. 27: 137-152.
  • Chang, F., Jang, E.B., Hsu, C.-L., Ma, M., and Jurd, L. 1994. Benzodioxole -1,3-benzodioxole derivatives and their effects on the reproductive physiology of insects. Arch. Insect Biochem. & Physiol. 27: 39-51.
  • Muldoon, M., Huang, R. Hapeman, C., Fries, G., Ma, M., and Nelson, J. 1994. Hapten synthesis and immunoassay development for the analysis of chlorodiamino-S-triazine in treated pesticide waste and rinsate. J. Agric. and Food Chem. 42:747-755.
  • Blymen, D., Ma, M., and De Loof, A. 1996. Immunolocalization of the oostatic and prothoracicostatic peptide, Neb-TMOF, in adults of the fleshfly, Neobellieria bullata. Gen. and Comp. Endocrinology 103: 273-280.
  • Yuan, R. and Ma, M. 1997. Biotechnology and the Future of Hong Kong. Genetic Engineering News. July 1997, p10-13.
  • Yuan, R. And Ma, M. 1998. Government and Biotechnology in Pacific-Rim countries. Technology Management. Vol.4, pp 149-152.
  • Tam, P.M., Ji, X.S., Ma, M., and Wong, W.K.R. 1999. Extracellular production of porcine growth hormone releasing factor using an E. coli excretion system. Biotechnology Letters (In press).
  • Xiang, Y., W.K.R. Wong, Ma, M. and R.S.C. Wong. 1999. Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of Brassica campestris ssp. Parachiensis with synthetic Bacillus thuringiensis cryIAb and cryIAc genes. Biotechnology Letters (Accepted for publication).
  • Wong, W.K.R., Ali, A., Wan K., Emery, S., and Ma, M. Cloning and Expression of a Neurohormone Manduca diuresin from Manduca sexta in Escherichia coli. (Submitted to Insect Archives of Biochemistry and Physiology).
  • Ma, M., Emery, S., and Wong W.K.R. Effects of Manduca diuresin on Neonates of the Tobacco Hornworm, Manduca sexta. (Submitted to the Archives of Insect Biochemistry and Physiology).

Awards

  • Honorary Professor, appointment date September 10, 1993. Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.
  • Visiting Professor, 1993. Department of Biochemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
  • Visiting Professor, 1993. Hong Kong Institute of Biotechnology, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong.
  • Editorial Board Member, 1993. Entomologia Sinica. 19 Zhongguancun Road, Haidian, Beijing 100080, China.
  • Visiting Professor, 1992. Catholic University of Leuven, Institute of Zoology, Leuven, Belgium.
  • Director of Hybridoma Technology Workshop, 1989-Present. American Type Culture Collection, Rockville, Maryland, USA
  • Visiting Professor, 1989. Department of Zoology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
  • Outstanding Young Faculty Award, 1986. College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland.
  • Adjunct Professor, 1984-85. Department of Plant Protection, Zhejiang Agricultural University, Hanzhou, China.
  • Honorary member of the Entomological Society of China, 1984-present. Beijing, China.

    • Education

    • B.S. University of Wisconsin-Madison. Bacteriology. 1973
    • M.S. University of Wisconsin-Madison. Entomology. 1975
    • Ph.D. University of Wisconsin-Madison. Entomology. 1978