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Expert has conducted research in pesticide toxicology and chemistry, focused primarily on insecticides, including the chlorinated hydrocarbons (such as DDT, methoxychlor, dieldrin, and heptachlor), the pyrethroids (such as pyrethrum and many synthetic pyrethroids), organophosphates, carbamates, and natural products. His work includes synthesis, insect toxicity, selectivity, mode of action studies, metabolism, and structure-activity relationships. His laboratory rears 18 species of insect pests, including flies, cockroaches, mosquitoes, grain beetles and moths, corn rootworm, cutworms, and corn borers.

Expert has conducted screening bioassays for new insecticides on over 25 species of pests. Insect problems and control strategies are studied, including insecticides, insect grow regulators, biological insecticides, natural products, repellents, and attractants.

For the past 20 years, half of Expert's research program has focused on natural insecticides. These include the monoterpenes, the flucosinolates, DIMBOA in corn, Bacillus thuringiensis, and currently several other families of natural products. His group works on their spectrum of activity, modes of action, and synthesis of derivatives and analogs. They have one patent pending in this area.

Expert has worked with approximately 15 organophosphate (OP) pesticides, investigating their fate in the environment (primarily soil) and their toxicology (mostly in insects). His research has included studies on OP transformation in insects and in soil, and the toxicity or safety of the degradation products formed. He has published about 28 scientific articles and chapters on OPs.

Over the past 26 years, Expert has taught and conducted research on insecticides at the University of Illinois, University of Guelph in Ontario, and Employer. He has published over 100 articles or book chapters on pesticides and trained 26 graduate students in the area. He has served as Chairman of the Agrochemicals Division of the American Chemical Society, and is a Fellow of that professional organization. Expert has received two awards from Iowa State for Research and for Applied Research, as well as one from the Entomological Society of America.

Expert has investigated monoterpenes from the oils of mint, citrus, cedar, pine, eucalyptus, and spices. He has synthesized many analogs and derivatives of monoterpenoids. Other bio pesticides that he has worked with include B.t., gluocosinolates, pyrethrins, DIMBOA, and diatomaceous earth. Recently, he wrote a review article on the risks of natural versus synthetic insecticides.

As a consultant, Expert provides technical consulting on insecticides, herbicides, fungicides. He prepares technical reports in support of litigation. He also provides depositions testimony in legal cases regarding pesticides.