Lab news
New Publication
We are excited to share a new review from the Tikhe Lab, recently published in Frontiers in Immunology! The review, “Insect immune systems: same same but different but still same,” explores how immune systems are conserved and diversified across different groups of insects.
Especially excited that Sydney Powell, who contributed to this work as a Ball State undergraduate and is now an MS student in the Tikhe Lab, is a co-author on the paper!
Congratulations to Sydney and all the authors!
Read the paper here: Frontiers in Immunology article
Tikhe Lab Students Participate in Mosquito Surveillance
Students from the Tikhe Lab recently participated in mosquito surveillance activities with Jeanette McGavic, Medical Entomologist (Central District) with the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH). Students surveyed sites around Muncie, Indiana, identified local mosquito breeding habitats, and collected mosquito samples. Jeanette provided hands-on training in mosquito surveillance techniques and guided students through the identification of locally occurring mosquito species.
This field experience provided students with valuable exposure to applied medical entomology and demonstrated how mosquito surveillance contributes to understanding and monitoring vector populations in Indiana.
HHMI SEA-PHAGES Program Coming to Ball State University!
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HHMI SEA-PHAGES (Science Education Alliance, Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science) program proposed by Dr. Chinmay Tikhe has been officially accepted!
Starting Fall 2026, this nationally recognized, research-based microbiology course will be offered to all Ball State University students. Through this hands-on program, students will isolate, characterize, and name their own bacteriophages while contributing to real scientific discovery and genome research.
Stay tuned for more updates as we prepare to launch this exciting new opportunity for Ball State students to experience authentic research from their very first semester!
How to Apply
If you are interested in joining the Tikhe Lab, please send a brief statement of interest and your
CV/resume to ctikhe@bsu.edu. Informal inquiries and questions are always welcome.