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Dr. Ales Gregorc

Post-Doctoral Fellow

Ph.D. - Veterinary Faculty - University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
M.S. - Veterinary Faculty- University of Zagreb, Croatia

Phone: 352-273-3932
E-mail:Ales.Gregorc@kis.si
Honey Bee Research and Extension Laboratory
University of Florida - Dept. of Entomology and Nematology
P.O. Box 110620
Bldg. 970 Natural Area Dr.
Gainesville, FL 32611

My name is Ales Gregorc and I am coming from Agricultural Institute of Slovenia,  to the University of Florida after several years of research in bee biology, pathology and beekeeping. My master’s research project involved the transmission of nosema spores between worker bees and queens in mating nuclei. During my Ph.D. thesis, I studied the physiological and pathological development of honey bee larvae. Specifically, the histochemical and cytochemical characteristics of larvae upon their infection with American foulbrood. During these studies, I focused on the programmed cell death in larvae.
            While as Ph.D. student and a Post Doctoral Research Fellow, I worked at the Bee Research Unit at the University of Wales in Cardiff, Wales. In Cardiff, colleagues and I studied heat shock proteins (Hsp90 and Hsp70), histone group protein expression, and cell death in the midgut and other tissues of healthy larvae and adult bees as a response to AFB-infection. I have gained experiences in conducting breeding program for carniolan honeybee and have performed several other research projects in bees including study the effects of pathogenic and un-pathogenic  agents, worker bee and queen development, study the quality of reared queens and other. Projects were conducted at the Veterinary Faculty Uiv. of Ljublajna and at the Agricultural Institute of Slovenia in Ljubljana. 
            During my career, I have worked extensively on varroa mites with a special emphasis on developing and testing control strategies for the parasite. Colleagues and I have determined the effectiveness of thymol, oxalic acid, and other chemicals against mites in honeybee colonies. At the University of Florida, our varroa team plans to conduct basic research in varroa control and is interested in hearing from beekeepers concerning their varroa control ideas.