Basu Lab

Dr. Priya Chakrabarti Basu’s lab studies the interactive impacts of multiple stressors on bees, such as poor nutrition, pesticides, climate change and diseases. Her lab uses a wide array of multidisciplinary techniques across fields such as physiology, toxicology, functional biology, multiomics-based approaches and neuroethology to address research questions. Priya’s research integrates both commercial and hobby beekeepers as well as growers and other stakeholder groups.

In addition to the research community, Priya enjoys teaching and working with stakeholders, policymakers and the general community in protecting bee pollinators, and raising pollinator awareness. She is also the extension contact for pollinator health in Washington; building a robust collaboration between WSU, stakeholders, legislators, WDA, community and anyone interested in pollinator protection and awareness.

More information about her lab’s research can be found at: www.priyadarshinichakrabarti.com

Lab Members

Principal Investigator

Dr. Priya Chakrabarti Basu is the Assistant Professor of Pollinator Health and Apiculture at WSU. She is also a courtesy faculty at the Department of Horticulture, Oregon State University (OSU).

McKaela Whilden
Ph.D. Student

McKaela’s research focuses on understanding the causative impacts of European Foulbrood disease in honey bee colonies.

(she/her)

Janae Becher
Ph.D. Student

Janae’s research focuses on understanding nutrient conversion from flower to colonies and how gut microbiome can shape the overall nutritional health.

(she/her)

Angus Catchot III, Ph.D. Student,
(Mississippi State)

Angus’s research focuses on longitudinally monitoring honey bee colonies along agricultural intensification gradient in Mississippi.

(he/him)

Lauren Jennings
Ph.D. Student,
(Mississippi State)

Lauren’s research focuses on bee nutrition, from helping to build the pollen nutrition database to understanding the impacts of climate change on bee nutrition.

(she/her)

Values and Philosophy

Our lab respects and promotes the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Our goal is to initiate collaborative and creative research projects that can significantly contribute to the protection of honey bees and wild bees.

Join the Lab

Prospective postdoctoral researcher(s) and master graduate student(s) are encouraged to contact Priya at priya.basu@wsu.edu about future opportunities in the lab.