Joshua Raji, PhD

Education:

Postdoctoral training: Johns Hopkins University

PhD Biology, Florida International University

MS, Cell Biology and Genetics, University of Lagos, Nigeria

BS, Biology, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria

Courses Taught

Graduate Catalog

• BIO 5201 Research Methods in Biology 

Biography:

Dr. Joshua Raji earned his Ph.D. in Biology from Florida International University, where he uncovered how chemosensory ionotropic receptors guide host-seeking behavior in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. He went on to complete postdoctoral training at Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Sensory Biology, where he mapped the organization of mosquito sensory receptors and developed genetic tools to probe the neural circuits that drive malaria vector behavior. His contributions to mosquito neurobiology have earned him recognition, including the Polak Young Investigator Award from the Association for Chemoreception Sciences. He is also a Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Hanna Gray Fellow. At Baylor University, Dr. Raji leads a dynamic research program that integrates gene editing, neurobiology, and behavior to pinpoint the genes and neural circuits that regulate mosquito sensory-driven behaviors.

Research Interests:

Half the world’s human population is at risk for mosquito-borne diseases, and more people die from mosquito bites every year than from homicides. Mosquitoes rely on their sensory system to find blood hosts, mating partners, egg-laying sites, and sugar sources. Raji's lab will exploit mosquitoes' strong dependence on their sensory system to provide new ways to control the spread of mosquito-borne diseases. Specifically, the Raji Lab will 1) develop new genetic tools to study the neurobiology of Anopheles mosquito behavior, 2) Identify the genetic and neural circuits that drive blood-feeding appetitive behaviors in the malaria mosquito, and 3) uncover the molecular basis of repellent-mediated avoidance. To achieve these goals, we use CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing, transcriptomics, neurophysiology, neuroanatomy, RNA in situ hybridization, functional imaging, and behavior assays to improve our understanding of mosquito biology and inspire innovative, sustainable strategies to curb the spread of deadly vector-borne diseases.

Selected Publications:

1. Raji J I., Konopka J. K., and Potter C J. (2023). A spatial map of antennal-expressed ionotropic receptors in malaria mosquitoes. Cell Reports. PMID: 36773296
2. Raji J I., and Potter C J. (2023). Hybridization Chain Reaction RNA Whole-Mount Fluorescence In situ Hybridization of Chemosensory Genes in Mosquito Olfactory Appendages. Journal of Visual Experiments. PMID: 38047558
3. *Barredo E, *Raji JI, Ramon M, DeGennaro M, Theobald J. (2022). Carbon dioxide and bloodfeeding shift visual cue tracking during navigation in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Biology Letters. PMID: 36166270 | *co-first author
4. Raji J I and Potter C J (2022). Chemosensory ionotropic receptors in human host-seeking mosquitoes. Current Opinion Insect Science. PMID: 36096415
5. Task D, Lin CC, Vulpe A, Afify A, Ballou S, Brbic M, Schlegel P, Raji J, Jefferis G, Li H, Menuz K, Potter CJ (2022). Chemoreceptor co-expression in Drosophila melanogaster olfactory neurons. eLife. Apr 20;11:e72599.
6. Raji J I and Potter, CJ (2021). The Number of Neurons in Drosophila and Mosquito Brains. PLoS ONE. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0250381
7. Raji, J I; Gonzalez, S; and DeGennaro, M. (2019). Aedes aegypti Ir8a mutant female mosquitoes show increased attraction to standing water. Communicative & Integrative Biology, 12(1).
8. Raji, J I; Melo, N; Castillo, J; Gonzalez, S; Saldana, V; Stensmyr, M; DeGennaro, M. (2019).Aedes Aegypti Mosquitoes Detect Acidic Volatiles Found in Human Odor Using the IR8a Pathway. Current Biology 29, 1-10.