Professor, Biological Threats in the Environment

Director, The Institute of Environmental and Human Health

Director, Biological Threat Research Laboratory

 

Ph.D. Entomology (Medical), Oklahoma State University, 1987

M.S. Entomology (Veterinary), Oklahoma State University, 1985

M.M.S. Military Studies, U.S. Marine Corps University, 1995

B.S. Animal Science, Texas Tech University, 1982

 

Research Interests:

Arthropod vector-borne zoonoses

Emerging and resurgent infectious diseases

Biological threats in the environment

 

Classes:

ENTX 6312 Biological Threats in the Environment

Bio:

Dr. Presley’s research and teaching focuses upon risks and threats associated with and the potential impact of biological pathogens naturally or intentionally introduced into military and civilian populations, and the agricultural industry. The overarching goal being the development and fielding of preventative measures against vector-borne infectious and zoonotic diseases, and biological weapon agents, and the possible utilization of arthropod vector and non-vector species for prediction and forensic validation of such occurrences. Dr. Presley offers an advanced graduate level course in biological threats in the environment. Additionally, he serves as the Research Coordinator for the Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr. National Program for Countermeasures to Biological and Chemical Threats at Texas Tech University. Dr. Presley earned his B.S. in Animal Science from Texas Tech University in 1982, his M.S. (1985) and Ph.D. from Oklahoma State University in 1987 studying Medical/Veterinary Entomology, then completed a post-Doctoral fellowship at the University of Kentucky. He served in the United States Navy as a Medical Service Corps Officer for more than twelve years before joining the faculty at Texas Tech University in 2002. He is a graduate of the U.S. Marine Corps Command and Staff College, where he earned a Masters of Military Studies degree focused on domestic terrorism and has completed various aspects of chemical, biological, radiological, and environmental-related response and control training and practical experience. His operational and research experience has focused upon the surveillance, prevention and control of biological threats in the environment; specifically vector-borne infectious diseases in tropical and semi-tropical environments. He has led malaria control operations and research efforts in Africa, Asia and South America, as well as Rift Valley fever, Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever, and cutaneous leishmaniasis studies in Africa and Asia. He has published more than 35 scientific and technical manuscripts, and has made numerous professional and technical oral presentations. Dr. Presley was awarded the Rear Admiral Charles S. Stephenson Award for Excellence in Preventive Medicine for the year 2000-2001 (U.S. Navy Medical Department worldwide competitive award). Dr. Presley serves as Chairperson of the Publications Committee and on the Science and Technology Committee of the American Mosquito Control Association. Additionally, he is a member of many local, regional and state professional boards and committees related to emergency preparedness and public health response to human and animal diseases, and catastrophic events.

 

Selected Publications (Past 5 Years):

 

Greenberg HS, AN Wilson-Fallon, ST Peper, KM Haydett, SM Presley. 2019. New records of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus in eight Texas

    counties, U.S.A. Journal of Vector Ecology 44(1):1-2.

 

Peper ST, DE Dawson, N Dacko, K Athanasiou, J Hunter, F Loko, S Almas, GE Sorensen, KN Urban, AN Wilson-Fallon, KM Haydett, HS

    Greenberg, AG Gibson, SM Presley. 2018. Predictive modeling for West Nile virus and mosquito surveillance in Lubbock, Texas, USA.  Journal

    of the American Mosquito Control Association 34(1):18-24.

 

Almas S, AG Gibson, SM Presley. 2018. Molecular detection of Oxyspirura larvae 1 in arthropod intermediate hosts. Parasitology Research (DOI

    10.1007/s00436-018-5756-3)

 

Peper ST, A Wilson-Fallon, K Haydett, H Greenberg, SM Presley. 2017. First record of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus in thirteen Panhandle

    region counties of Texas, U.S.A.  Journal of Vector Ecology 42(2): 352-354.

 

Xiang, L., Guo, F., Yu, Y., Parson, L. S., LaCoste, L., Gibson, A., Presley, S.M., Peterson, M., Craig, T. M., Rollins, D., Fedynich, A. M., Zhu, G.

    2017. Multiyear Survey of Coccidia, Cryptosporidia, Microsporidia, Histomona, and Hematozoa in Wild Quail in the Rolling Plains Ecoregion of

    Texas and Oklahoma, USA.. Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology, 64(1):4–17.

 

Dunham, N. R., Bruno, A., Almas, S., Rollins, D., Fedynich, A. M., Presley, S.M., Kendall, R.J.  2016. Eyeworms (Oxyspirura petrowi) in Northern

    Bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) from the Rolling Plains Ecoregion of Texas and Oklahoma, 2011-2013. Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 52

    (3):123-128.

 

Turaga, U., Peper, S. T., Dunham, N. R., Kumar, N., Kistler, W., Almas, S., Presley, S. M., Kendall, R. J.  2016. A Survey of Neonicotinoid Use and

    Potential Exposure to Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) and Scaled quail (Callipepla squamata) in the Rolling Plains of Texas and

    Oklahoma. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 35(6):1511-1515.

 

Halley, Y.A., D.L. Oldeschulte, E.K. Bhattarai, J. Hill, R.P. Metz, C.D. Johnson, S.M. Presley, R.E. Ruzicka, D.R. Rollins, M.J. Peterson, W.J.

    Murphy, C.M. Seabury. 2015.  Northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) mitochondrial population genomics reveals structure, divergence, and

    evidence for heteroplasmy. PLoS ONE 10(12):e0144913 DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0144913.

 

Erickson, R.A., S.M. Presley. 2014. Climate change and mosquito control: An example with the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus). Wing

    Beats 25(3):35-38.

 

Urban, K.N., A.G. Gibson, C.B. Dabbert, S.M. Presley. 2013.  Preliminary disease surveillance in West Texas quail (Galliformes:Odontophoridae)

    populations.  Journal of Wildlife Diseases 49(2):427-431.

 

 

 

Department of Environmental Toxicology

MAILING ADDRESS

Texas Tech University, Box 41163 Lubbock, TX 79409

 

PHYSICAL ADDRESS

1207 S. Gilbert Drive, Lubbock, TX 79416

 

PHONE  806.742.4567

 © The Department of Environmental Toxicology (ENTX)  - All Rights Reserved

 

Department of Environmental Toxicology

MAILING ADDRESS

Texas Tech University, Box 41163 Lubbock, TX 79409

 

PHYSICAL ADDRESS

1207 S. Gilbert Drive, Lubbock, TX 79416

 

PHONE  806.742.4567

 © The Department of Environmental Toxicology (ENTX)  - All Rights Reserved

Dr. Steven Presley

Professor, Biological Threats in the Environment

Director, The Institute of Environmental and Human Health

Director, Biological Threat Research Laboratory

 

Ph.D. Entomology (Medical), Oklahoma State University, 1987

M.S. Entomology (Veterinary), Oklahoma State University, 1985

M.M.S. Military Studies, U.S. Marine Corps University, 1995

B.S. Animal Science, Texas Tech University, 1982

 

Research Interests:

Arthropod vector-borne zoonoses

Emerging and resurgent infectious diseases

Biological threats in the environment

 

Classes:

ENTX 6312 Biological Threats in the Environment

Bio:

Dr. Presley’s research and teaching focuses upon risks and threats associated with and the potential impact of biological pathogens naturally or intentionally introduced into military and civilian populations, and the agricultural industry. The overarching goal being the development and fielding of preventative measures against vector-borne infectious and zoonotic diseases, and biological weapon agents, and the possible utilization of arthropod vector and non-vector species for prediction and forensic validation of such occurrences. Dr. Presley offers an advanced graduate level course in biological threats in the environment. Additionally, he serves as the Research Coordinator for the Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr. National Program for Countermeasures to Biological and Chemical Threats at Texas Tech University. Dr. Presley earned his B.S. in Animal Science from Texas Tech University in 1982, his M.S. (1985) and Ph.D. from Oklahoma State University in 1987 studying Medical/Veterinary Entomology, then completed a post-Doctoral fellowship at the University of Kentucky. He served in the United States Navy as a Medical Service Corps Officer for more than twelve years before joining the faculty at Texas Tech University in 2002. He is a graduate of the U.S. Marine Corps Command and Staff College, where he earned a Masters of Military Studies degree focused on domestic terrorism and has completed various aspects of chemical, biological, radiological, and environmental-related response and control training and practical experience. His operational and research experience has focused upon the surveillance, prevention and control of biological threats in the environment; specifically vector-borne infectious diseases in tropical and semi-tropical environments. He has led malaria control operations and research efforts in Africa, Asia and South America, as well as Rift Valley fever, Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever, and cutaneous leishmaniasis studies in Africa and Asia. He has published more than 35 scientific and technical manuscripts, and has made numerous professional and technical oral presentations. Dr. Presley was awarded the Rear Admiral Charles S. Stephenson Award for Excellence in Preventive Medicine for the year 2000-2001 (U.S. Navy Medical Department worldwide competitive award). Dr. Presley serves as Chairperson of the Publications Committee and on the Science and Technology Committee of the American Mosquito Control Association. Additionally, he is a member of many local, regional and state professional boards and committees related to emergency preparedness and public health response to human and animal diseases, and catastrophic events.

 

Selected Publications (Past 5 Years):

 

Greenberg HS, AN Wilson-Fallon, ST Peper, KM Haydett, SM Presley. 2019. New records of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus in eight Texas

    counties, U.S.A. Journal of Vector Ecology 44(1):1-2.

 

Peper ST, DE Dawson, N Dacko, K Athanasiou, J Hunter, F Loko, S Almas, GE Sorensen, KN Urban, AN Wilson-Fallon, KM Haydett, HS

    Greenberg, AG Gibson, SM Presley. 2018. Predictive modeling for West Nile virus and mosquito surveillance in Lubbock, Texas, USA.  Journal

    of the American Mosquito Control Association 34(1):18-24.

 

Almas S, AG Gibson, SM Presley. 2018. Molecular detection of Oxyspirura larvae 1 in arthropod intermediate hosts. Parasitology Research (DOI

    10.1007/s00436-018-5756-3)

 

Peper ST, A Wilson-Fallon, K Haydett, H Greenberg, SM Presley. 2017. First record of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus in thirteen Panhandle

    region counties of Texas, U.S.A.  Journal of Vector Ecology 42(2): 352-354.

 

Xiang, L., Guo, F., Yu, Y., Parson, L. S., LaCoste, L., Gibson, A., Presley, S.M., Peterson, M., Craig, T. M., Rollins, D., Fedynich, A. M., Zhu, G.

    2017. Multiyear Survey of Coccidia, Cryptosporidia, Microsporidia, Histomona, and Hematozoa in Wild Quail in the Rolling Plains Ecoregion of

    Texas and Oklahoma, USA.. Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology, 64(1):4–17.

 

Dunham, N. R., Bruno, A., Almas, S., Rollins, D., Fedynich, A. M., Presley, S.M., Kendall, R.J.  2016. Eyeworms (Oxyspirura petrowi) in Northern

    Bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) from the Rolling Plains Ecoregion of Texas and Oklahoma, 2011-2013. Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 52

    (3):123-128.

 

Turaga, U., Peper, S. T., Dunham, N. R., Kumar, N., Kistler, W., Almas, S., Presley, S. M., Kendall, R. J.  2016. A Survey of Neonicotinoid Use and

    Potential Exposure to Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) and Scaled quail (Callipepla squamata) in the Rolling Plains of Texas and

    Oklahoma. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 35(6):1511-1515.

 

Halley, Y.A., D.L. Oldeschulte, E.K. Bhattarai, J. Hill, R.P. Metz, C.D. Johnson, S.M. Presley, R.E. Ruzicka, D.R. Rollins, M.J. Peterson, W.J.

    Murphy, C.M. Seabury. 2015.  Northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) mitochondrial population genomics reveals structure, divergence, and

    evidence for heteroplasmy. PLoS ONE 10(12):e0144913 DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0144913.

 

Erickson, R.A., S.M. Presley. 2014. Climate change and mosquito control: An example with the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus). Wing

    Beats 25(3):35-38.

 

Urban, K.N., A.G. Gibson, C.B. Dabbert, S.M. Presley. 2013.  Preliminary disease surveillance in West Texas quail (Galliformes:Odontophoridae)

    populations.  Journal of Wildlife Diseases 49(2):427-431.

 

 

 

Department of Environmental Toxicology

 

MAILING ADDRESS

Texas Tech University, Box 41163 Lubbock, TX 79409

 

PHYSICAL ADDRESS

1207 S. Gilbert Drive, Lubbock, TX 79416

 

PHONE

806.742.4567

 

 © The Department of Environmental Toxicology (ENTX)  - All Rights Reserved