Dr. Elaine A. Backus Ph.D.

Backus is the leading world expert in the science of electropenetrography (also known as electrical penetration graph, both abbreviated EPG) for all non-aphid arthropods. She extensively transfers EPG science and methods to academic, industry, and government scientists worldwide through presentations and an online course on EPG history, principals, applications and methods. She also co-organizes the triennial International EPG Conference. Backus co-invented the 3rd-generation AC-DC electropentrograph and collaborates with global researchers to develop new applications such as studies of blood-feeding vectors (mosquitoes, ticks) of human and animal diseases. In her position as a USDA ARS scientist, Backus also conducts research on feeding of sharpshooter leafhopper vectors of the Pierce's disease bacterium, Xylella fastidiosa (Xf) on grape, especially related to mechanisms  of transmission and applications of such knowledge to develop new treatments or deploy new grape cultivars.