LE ZHENG is a M.S. student in the FLIES Facility. He received his B.S. in agricultural resources and environment from Shanghai Ocean University. He will target a model bacterial species common to the larvae of blow fly species commonly occurring on vertebrate carrion. Once isolated, Le will determine if the strains from different blow fly species are genetically unique from one another. He will also determine if bacterial strain influences the development and survivorship of the competing blow fly larvae. His research is in collaboration with Dr. Tawni Crippen – USDA-ARS.