MICHAEL
KANOST
University Distinguished Professor of biochemistry
Head of biochemistry
Michael Kanost, a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement
of Science, leads what has been called one of the world's premier
laboratories dealing with research on insect immunity. Kanost's
research includes investigating proteins from insect blood to understand
how the proteins function in the insect’s immune responses.
He also studies the biochemistry involved in formation of the insect
exoskeleton. His research on caterpillars, mosquitoes and beetles
has been supported with more than $11 million in grants from agencies
such as the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation,
U.S. Department of Agriculture and others.
He is the author of 130 journal articles and book chapters. He has mentored numerous undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctorates, who have gone on to successful careers in universities, government laboratories, medicine and industry. He has been invited to present his research findings at many national and international meetings and serves on the editorial boards of four journals in the areas of insect biology and comparative immunology. He has provided service on several grants panels. He teaches an array of undergraduate and graduate courses, from General Biochemistry to Advanced Topics in Insect Biochemistry.
Kanost earned his bachelor's degree from Colorado State University and his doctorate from Purdue University. He was a postdoctoral fellow in the department of biology at Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada from 1983 to 1986. He also was a research associate in the University of Arizona's department of biochemistry from 1986-1991. He joined the K-State faculty in 1991 and was promoted to professor of biochemistry in 1999. He serves as an ancillary professor of entomology at K-State, and in October 2002 was named interim head of the biochemistry department, and then promoted to department head in fall 2003.
Kanost can be reached by phone at 785-532-6964, or via e-mail at kanost@k-state.edu.