Directory

• Ph.D. in Public Health (Global Infectious Diseases), University of South Florida
• M.S. in Medical Sciences (Bacterial Genetics), University of Florida, M.S. in Public Health (Tropical and Communicable Diseases), University of South Florida
• B.S. in Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida

• Molecular mechanisms of artemisinin drug resistance in malaria
• Vectorborne disease
• Coccidian parasites
• Environmental/wildlife parasitology

I am currently involved in several research areas which cover antimalarial resistance, surveillance of vectorborne pathogens in ticks and wildlife, and coccidian parasite detection and transcriptomics. A continued major emphasis of my research program is the elucidation of molecular markers of resistance to artemisinin in the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. I have recently applied for a R21 grant to conduct some of this research at FGCU. I have also conducted research on deer and tick populations in Maryland to discover the prevalence of human and wildlife pathogens (such as the Lyme disease bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and a deer malaria parasite) in these hosts. Through a collaboration with the USDA, I am helping characterize Eimeria chicken parasites as a surrogate model for the human pathogen Cyclospora cayetanensis. I am new to FGCU and looking to recruit students to participate in these projects, so please contact me if you are interested. Students would have the opportunity to conduct molecular bench research and also collect samples in the field for analysis. I also try to integrate some of this work into Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) and will continue to do this at FGCU.

• MCB 4203C Pathogenic Microbiology
• PCB 4233C Immunology

Dr. Tucker has published peer-reviewed scientific articles in journals such as the Journal of Parasitology, Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, Journal of Parasitology and Vector Biology, Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy , Current Protocols in Immunology, Applied and Environmental Microbiology, Environmental Microbiology, and Military Medicine. A manuscript on RNA-Sequencing in sporulating Eimeria oocysts has been submitted for publication in the journal PLoS One. He has co-authored one book chapter, participated as an ad hoc reviewer for several journals, and also served on scientific advisory panels.

Dr. Tucker and his students have presented research at international parasitology and tropical medicine society conferences such as The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene and The American Society of Parasitologists. In addition, they have attended meetings of the Southeastern Society of Parasitologists, The American Society for Microbiology (ASM), The European Congress on Tropical Medicine and International Health, and branch ASM meetings. Dr. Tucker and his students have also presented research at a World Malaria Day Symposium and several tick and tickborne disease meetings.

• "Monitoring Maryland Ticks for Abundant and Emerging Pathogens", Maryland Lyme Disease Research Foundation, 2019-2020 funding cycle
• "Elucidating mechanisms for artemisinin-induced dormancy in Plasmodium falciparum", NIH-NIAID 2022-2024 funding cycle, submitted for review
• Dr. Tucker also supervised NIH-NIAID contracts through the Schistosomiasis Resource Center that provided parasitological materials and molecular reagents to NIAID scientists and the schistosomiasis research community at large