The first - place winner of Bayer and NPMA ’ s Young Scientist of the Year contest

90 he German cockroach, with its long history of close association with humans, is most often regarded as merely an unpleasant pest with the potential to transmit disease-causing microbes. However, recent research has demonstrated that this insidious pest has a much greater impact on public health than was once thought. German cockroaches, first implicated in allergic disease nearly 40 years ago, produce several proteins that exacerbate allergic responses and asthma in sensitive individuals, especially among children and the elderly. The overall goal of our research is to reduce these allergens in homes below harmful levels. Toward this goal, we integrate fundamental and applied research to 1) develop innovative strategies to control cockroaches; 2) understand the basic biology of German cockroach allergens; and 3) devise practical approaches to reduce allergens in cockroach-infested homes.