Leonard Munstermann, PhD, MA, BA
Senior Research Scientist in Epidemiology (Microbial Diseases)Cards
Additional Titles
Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health
Head Curator of Entomology (Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History)
Contact Info
Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases
PO Box 208034, 60 College Street
New Haven, CT 06520-8034
United States
About
Titles
Senior Research Scientist in Epidemiology (Microbial Diseases)
Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health; Head Curator of Entomology (Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History)
Biography
After graduating from the University of Minnesota Morris, a small campus in western Minnesota, he joined the Peace Corps and taught biology in a "bush school" in western Ghana as well as an exposure to the tropical insect environment. After a year at U of M, Minneapolis, and a stint in the U.S. Army, he lived in Japan for two years studying Japanese language and culture. He returned to USA to the University of Notre Dame, studying mosquito genetics, ecology and evolution. After 20 years at Notre Dame as a graduate student and research faculty, he was invited to Yale School of Medicine as a research scientist to work on the population genetics and taxonomic relationships amongst the 400 species of South American phlebotomine sand flies. Currently, he continues the sandfly work and is completing a 15-year set of education grants translating current research in medical entomology into K-12 teaching curricula.
Appointments
Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases
Senior Research ScientistPrimary
Other Departments & Organizations
Education & Training
- PhD
- University of Notre Dame (1979)
- MA
- University of Minnesota, Zoology (1968)
- BA
- University of Minnesota, Morris, Psychology (1964)
Research
Overview
- Systematic Revision of the Genus Lutzomyia (400 species), New World Vectors of Leishmaniasis
- Insect biodiversity in tropical forests
- New Trap Methods for Insect Vectors
- Translating Research in Medical Entomology intoK-12 Curricula
- Epidemiological Interactions between Human,Sandfly, Reservoir Host and Parasite in a Novel Epidemic Situation of Cutaneous leishmaniasis.
Medical Research Interests
Public Health Interests
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Publications Timeline
Research Interests
Theodore Andreadis, PhD
Adalgisa Caccone
Durland Fish, PhD
Jeffrey Powell
Nancy Saravia, PhD, MSc
Insect Vectors
Colombia
Malaria
Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous
Leishmaniasis
West Nile virus
Publications
2024
A genotyping array for the globally invasive vector mosquito, Aedes albopictus
Cosme L, Corley M, Johnson T, Severson D, Yan G, Wang X, Beebe N, Maynard A, Bonizzoni M, Khorramnejad A, Martins A, Lima J, Munstermann L, Surendran S, Chen C, Maringer K, Wahid I, Mukherjee S, Xu J, Fontaine M, Estallo E, Stein M, Livdahl T, Scaraffia P, Carter B, Mogi M, Tuno N, Mains J, Medley K, Bowles D, Gill R, Eritja R, González-Obando R, Trang H, Boyer S, Abunyewa A, Hackett K, Wu T, Nguyễn J, Shen J, Zhao H, Crawford J, Armbruster P, Caccone A. A genotyping array for the globally invasive vector mosquito, Aedes albopictus. Parasites & Vectors 2024, 17: 106. PMID: 38439081, PMCID: PMC10910840, DOI: 10.1186/s13071-024-06158-z.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsWhole-genome sequencingLow-coverage whole-genome sequencingSNP chipRepetitive elementsGenomic analysisNative rangePatterns of genomic variationWhole-genome sequencing dataSNP chip genotypesPopulation genomic analysesProtein-coding genesLevels of admixtureOrigin of invasionNon-coding regionsPercentage of repetitive elementsGenotyping of samplesChip genotypesGenetic clustersAncestry analysisGenomic variationGenotyping arraysGenotyping platformsMendelian genesGenetic variationGenotyping methods
2019
Chapter 12 Phlebotomine Sand Flies and Moth Flies (Psychodidae)
Munstermann L. Chapter 12 Phlebotomine Sand Flies and Moth Flies (Psychodidae). 2019, 191-211. DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-814043-7.00012-1.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMedical importancePhlebotomine speciesHigh medical importanceClogmia albipunctataFamily PsychodidaeBlood feedingMoth fliesSubfamily PsychodinaeSand fliesPhlebotomine sand fliesSpeciesFliesSensu latuImportant diseaseOld WorldWidespread associationPsychoda alternataAnimal diseasesMajor diseasesCritical roleCompetent vectorsVesicular stomatitisCausative agentLutzomyia longipalpisPhlebotomus papatasi
2018
The Nesting ecology of social wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Vespinae and Polistinae) in northern Mongolia
Batchuluun B, Dandarmaa B, Munstermann L. The Nesting ecology of social wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Vespinae and Polistinae) in northern Mongolia. Mongolian Journal Of Biological Sciences 2018, 16: 49-58. DOI: 10.22353/mjbs.2018.16.07.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2012
An Alternative Approach: Teaching Evolution in a Natural History Museum Through the Topic of Vector-Borne Disease
Pickering J, Fawcett L, Munstermann L. An Alternative Approach: Teaching Evolution in a Natural History Museum Through the Topic of Vector-Borne Disease. Evolution: Education And Outreach 2012, 5: 62-67. DOI: 10.1007/s12052-012-0398-x.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsEvolutionary conceptsNatural History MuseumModern evolutionary theoryComplex transmission cyclesEvolutionary issuesEvolutionary pressurePresent treeExtensive collectionEvolutionary theoryHistory MuseumVector-borne diseasesTransmission cycleWest Nile virusYale Peabody MuseumIntricate interplayVector borne diseasesNile virusBroad arrayImportant roleHuman healthBiodiversityEvolutionCoevolutionMuseum's extensive collectionsPathogens
2011
Phylogenetics of the Phlebotomine Sand Fly Group Verrucarum (Diptera: Psychodidae: Lutzomyia)
Cohnstaedt LW, Beati L, Caceres AG, Ferro C, Munstermann LE. Phylogenetics of the Phlebotomine Sand Fly Group Verrucarum (Diptera: Psychodidae: Lutzomyia). American Journal Of Tropical Medicine And Hygiene 2011, 84: 913-922. PMID: 21633028, PMCID: PMC3110367, DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.2011.11-0040.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsInterspecific genetic variabilityVerrucarum species groupVerrucarum groupParaphyletic lineagesMonophyletic lineageCOI sequencesPhylogenetic relationshipsSpecies groupsTaxonomic statusPhylogenetic analysisIntraspecific variabilityGenetic variabilityTaxonomic toolGenetic sequencesSpeciesLutzomyia verrucarumGenus LutzomyiaLineagesSouth AmericaVerrucarumAndean regionPrincipal vectorLutzomyiaMorphological classificationSequenceLeishmania (Viannia) Infection in the Domestic Dog in Chaparral, Colombia
Santaella J, Ocampo CB, Saravia NG, Méndez F, Góngora R, Gomez MA, Munstermann LE, Quinnell RJ. Leishmania (Viannia) Infection in the Domestic Dog in Chaparral, Colombia. American Journal Of Tropical Medicine And Hygiene 2011, 84: 674-680. PMID: 21540374, PMCID: PMC3083732, DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.2011.10-0159.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsCutaneous leishmaniasisSkin biopsy specimensHuman cutaneous leishmaniasisReservoirs of LeishmaniaEnzyme-linked immunosorbentAmerican cutaneous leishmaniasisPrevalence of infectionBiopsy specimensLeishmania infectionRisk factorsCanine infectionLeishmania guyanensisBuffy coatL. braziliensisDogsInfectionLeishmaniasisPeridomestic transmissionL. guyanensisPositive resultsBlottingMore testsDomestic dogsGuyanensisBiopsy
2010
Environmental Risk Factors for the Incidence of American Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in a Sub-Andean Zone of Colombia (Chaparral, Tolima)
Valderrama-Ardila C, Alexander N, Ferro C, Cadena H, Marín D, Holford TR, Munstermann LE, Ocampo CB. Environmental Risk Factors for the Incidence of American Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in a Sub-Andean Zone of Colombia (Chaparral, Tolima). American Journal Of Tropical Medicine And Hygiene 2010, 82: 243-250. PMID: 20134000, PMCID: PMC2813165, DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.2010.09-0218.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2009
Population Genetics of Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) Invading Populations, Using Mitochondrial nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Dehydrogenase Subunit 5 Sequences
Usmani-Brown S, Cohnstaedt L, Munstermann LE. Population Genetics of Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) Invading Populations, Using Mitochondrial nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Dehydrogenase Subunit 5 Sequences. Annals Of The Entomological Society Of America 2009, 102: 144-150. PMID: 22544973, PMCID: PMC3337552, DOI: 10.1603/008.102.0116.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsNative rangeHigh overall haplotype diversityNative range populationsMitochondrial DNA studiesNicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenasePhylogeographic partitioningOverall haplotype diversitySequence divergenceHaplotype diversityPopulation geneticsUnique haplotypesInvasive speciesPopulation structureRange populationsNew haplotypesAsian tiger mosquitoGenetic analysisImportant vectorDNA studiesSeparate introductionsHaplotypesTiger mosquitoAedes albopictusSpeciesDirect sequencing
2008
Light-Emitting Diode Technology Improves Insect Trapping
Cohnstaedt LW, Gillen JI, Munstermann LE. Light-Emitting Diode Technology Improves Insect Trapping. Journal Of The American Mosquito Control Association 2008, 24: 331-334. PMID: 18666546, PMCID: PMC2603179, DOI: 10.2987/5619.1.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2007
Estructura genética en cinco especies de flebótomos (Lutzomyia spp.) de la serie townsendi, grupo verrucarum, en Colombia (Diptera: Prychodidae)
Hernández C, Ruiz-García M, Munstermann L, Ferro C. Estructura genética en cinco especies de flebótomos (Lutzomyia spp.) de la serie townsendi, grupo verrucarum, en Colombia (Diptera: Prychodidae). Revista De Biología Tropical 2007, 56: 1717-39. PMID: 19419077, DOI: 10.15517/rbt.v56i4.5755.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsHomozygous excessClear genetic differentiationRelated species pairsSpeciation eventsGenetic differentiationSpecies pairsDivergent speciesWahlund effectHeterozygosity levelsGeographic distanceNull allelesSpatial autocorrelation analysisHardy-Weinberg equilibriumFive speciesSpecies samplesSpeciesGenetic heterogeneityLutzomyia speciesYoungiIsoenzyme patternsAutocorrelation analysisTownsendiUPGMAIsoenzymesLoci
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
activity Connecticut Entomology Society
Professional OrganizationsMemberDetailsSociety secretary--minutes, membership09/01/2000 - 07/01/2008activity Taxonomy of Sand Flies (Lutzomyia Verrucarum Group) in South America
ResearchDetails01/01/2007 - PresentColombiaAbstract/SynopsisProfessor Munstermann works to establish a new taxonomy for the 400 sand fly species in the genus Lutzomyia.
honor Published photographs of Insect Vectors of Disease in 42 newspapers, research journals and books, including Science, New York Times and Yale Medicine
UnknownDetails01/01/2007, 01/01/1979United Stateshonor Distinguished Alumnus of the Year, University of Minnesota, Morris
UnknownDetails01/01/2004United Stateshonor Elected President, Connecticut Entomological Society
UnknownDetails01/01/2001United States
News & Links
Media
- New version (UV-LED, on right) of CDC light trap
- bloodfeeding phlebotomine sand fly
News
- June 21, 2017Source: Hartford Courant
Meet The Beetles At Peabody Museum
- April 13, 2016
Downs Fellowship, Springboard for Hundreds of International Yale Research Projects, Turns 50
- August 03, 2015
Invasion of the Bloodsuckers
- June 30, 2014Source: Yale Medicine Magazine
Downs fellowship brings student to a home she never knew
Get In Touch
Contacts
Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases
PO Box 208034, 60 College Street
New Haven, CT 06520-8034
United States