The UAS-Gal4 system is a powerful technique for manipulating gene expression tissue-specifically. While this tool is well-establised in D. melanogaster, techniques for silencing of gene expression restricted to a single tissue in non-model insect species are lacking and hence substantially complicate experimental research of the role of cellular immune system.

Therefore, our next project is to design microparticles for the delivery of RNA (mRNA, dsRNA, siRNA…) specifically targeted to immune cells. This approach would enable silencing of gene expression in phagocytes in non-model insects (e.g. mosquitoes, bees, and yellow mealworm beetle) and also priming of the immune response via delivery of viral nucleic acid fragments.