Center For Pollinator Health

Click on the links to get to know more about our team.

Team Leader

Home

Center For Pollinator Health

Please click on the links to learn about our team.

Center For Pollinator Health

Click on the links to get to know more about our team.

Team Leader

Esmaeil Amiri is an Assistant Professor, leading the Center for Pollinator Health at the Delta Research and Extension Center, MSU. He has research and extension responsibilities in pollinator health.

Esmaeil earned his doctorate from Aarhus University, Denmark, and shortly after that, he became a part of the honey bee research collaboration team in North Carolina. He extended his investigations into viral infections and immune responses in honey bee queens there. Using cutting-edge molecular tools and multi-omics approaches, Esmaeil has further broadened his research scope to include studying queen plasticity, maternal and trans-generational effects in honey bees, all aimed at gaining a deeper insight into how stressors affect queen health and consequently, the well-being of their progeny. In his current position, his research interests manifest in various research and extension projects conducted with his group members.

Esmaeil Amiri is an Assistant Professor, leading the Center for Pollinator Health at the Delta Research and Extension Center, MSU. He has research and extension responsibilities in pollinator health.

Dr. Esmaeil Amiri

Assistant Extension/Research Professor

Dr. Esmaeil Amiri

Assistant Extension/
Research Professor

Esmaeil Amiri is an Assistant Professor, leading the Center for Pollinator Health at the Delta Research and Extension Center, MSU. He has research and extension responsibilities in pollinator health.

Back

Post Doctorates

Dr. Bashiru Adams

Dr. Bashiru Adams

As a Postdoctoral Associate, Bashiru Adams joined the Pollinator Health Laboratory at the Delta Research and Extension Center, MSU, in December 2024. He holds a Ph.D. and an MPhil in Entomology from the University of Pretoria, South Africa, and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana, respectively.

He carried out his PhD research work at the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), Nairobi-Kenya. Additionally, he previously worked at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research of Ghana as a Research Entomologist. He has expertise in diverse areas of entomology and chemical ecology. His research focuses on plant-insect-microbe interactions towards developing integrated pest management (IPM) strategies. Currently, he is leading two projects: to assess the impact of virus infections on honey bees and fire ants’ chemical communication towards improving honey bee health and sustainable fire ant control. He is also working to develop efficient semiochemicals for managing small hive beetles, an important honey bee-associated pest.

Dr. Harmen P. Hendriksma

Back

Students

Gokul Dhanapati

Graduate Student

Gokul Dhanapati

Graduate Student

Gokul Dhanapati is a Ph.D. student in Entomology at Mississippi State University, having joined the Center for Pollinator Health in January 2025. Originally from India, he holds a master’s degree in Agricultural Entomology from Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya. His research project aims to explore the genetic and environmental factors influencing viral dynamics and develop strategies to select colonies that are resistance to viral infections. He is passionate about pollinator health and aims to contribute to sustainable beekeeping practices through his work.

Back

Staff

Somayeh Mehrparvar

I hold a bachelor's degree in computer science and bring over five years of experience leading the IT department at Water and Waste Water Company. As a lab member in the Center for Pollinator Health, I undertake various responsibilities, including coordinating meetings, procuring lab requirements, troubleshooting, analyzing and visualizing data, and assisting team members whenever needed. Additionally, I design posters and create videos for extension activities, ensuring the successful execution of high-quality workshops. I also create, design, and maintain the lab website and make sure our website is updated with various activities. My focus is on ensuring the success of our research and extension projects and the smooth progress of lab members.

Jori Lakes

Jori earned her bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and Biology from Delta State University in May 2024. She joined our research group shortly after graduation as an intermittent worker, contributing to a range of laboratory and field-based projects that strengthened her technical skills and research experience.

Following a brief appointment with the Pollinator Health in Southern Crop Ecosystems Research Unit at the USDA-ARS in Stoneville, Jori returned to our group as a Research Associate. In this role, she supports multiple research efforts, with a primary focus on understanding how climate influences disease progression in honey bee colonies.

Back

Future Scientist

Elena is a bright 5th-grade student who loves solving puzzles and drawing different things. She is great in her classes and is a big hit with her teachers. Elena also loves making things and selling them. Right now, she is writing her book. Her hobbies are reading, drawing, crafting, and writing. Elena has a YouTube channel where she shares the books she is reading with other kids. She has two Parakeets named Oreo and Creamy and two chickens, Hannah and Vanilla.