DAVIS-"Just as aspiring astronauts are enticed by the notion of putting on a space suit to discover the unknowns of outer space, I am enticed by the notion of putting on a biohazard suit to explore the unknowns of a hot zone."

So says infectious disease researcher and post-graduate student Tiffany Mott of the University of California, Davis, who has just received a coveted one-year fellowship from the Association of American Public Health Laboratories and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to study emerging infectious diseases.

She plans to do research in a CDC laboratory that studies the epidemiology, detection and diagnosis of emerging infectious diseases. "I'm particularly interested in tissue-based detection methods used in the diagnosis of unknown or little known infectious diseases or those that result in unexplained deaths."

Mott, a junior specialist for the last two years in the laboratory of medical entomologist Shirley Luckhart of the UC Davis School of Medicine and the Center for Vectorborne Diseases, is presently researching the insulin/immunoglobulin (IG)-like signaling pathways and its effects on longevity in the mosquito.

"Tiffany has been a critical part of our research program," said Luckhart, an associate professor in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine.

Luckhart, whose expertise includes cell biology and biochemistry of malaria parasite and mosquito interactions, described the fellowship as "highly competitive," drawing more than 250 applicants. Forty finalists were flown to Atlanta for final interviews, with 20 selected.

Applicants included those with a bachelor's or master's degree in biology, microbiology, biochemistry and virology and other scientific disciplines. Each had to submit letters of recommendation, academic records, employment history, extracurricular involvement and a description of desired training or research focus.

Fellows can rotate through various laboratory practices to receive general training or focus on one section for specific training in a given methodology or approach.

Mott, who received her bachelor of science degree in microbiology this spring from UC Davis, became interested in infectious diseases research at age 12. She remembers watching a television documentary of the 1993 Sin Nombre virus outbreak in the four corners region of the United States (Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado). Sin Nombre, meaning "no name" virus in Spanish, is endemic to rodents, and is spread to humans through contact with rodent droppings and urine. It is frequently fatal.

"I was so fascinated by the processes involved in discovering and containing the etiological agent of an outbreak that I was hooked," she said. "I immediately knew that I wanted to do research in public health."

A native of Sacramento, Mott is a graduate of El Camino Fundamental High School and its Eagle Polytechnic Institute Program, which provides students with the opportunity to develop skills in technology and research.

At UC Davis, she has received a number of honors. Last December she won a Presidential Undergraduate Fellowship Award, which supports undergraduate students doing research or creative projects under the guidance of faculty members. In April, she co-organized the Picnic Day microbiology exhibit, which showcased 30 educational and entertaining exhibits. She also participated in the 17th annual Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities Conference.