My Personal History:

2006-present: Research Scientist, University of Georgia, Department of Entomology, Athens, Georgia, USA
2002-2005: Research Professional, University of Georgia, Department of Entomology, Athens, Georgia, USA
2000-2001: Research Associate, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Entomology, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
1999- 2000: Research Associate, University of Adelaide, Department of Applied and Molecular Ecology, Adelaide, Australia
1995-1998: Ph.D. University of Adelaide, Department of Crop Protection, South Australia, Australia. Thesis title: "Molecular Genetics of Host Manipulation and Competition in an Insect Parasitoid System"
1993: Graduation as "Diplom Biologist" at The University of Freiburg , Germany
1992-1993: Diploma thesis at The University of Freiburg, Institute for Biology II, Plant Biochemistry, Germany. Thesis title: "Regulation of a Heatshock-Protein (HSP90-Class) in Catharanthus roseus "
1985-1992: Undergraduate studies at The University of Freiburg, Germany. Final examinations in Genetics, Microbiology, Biochemistry, and Organic Chemistry

Lu, Z., Beck, M.H., Wang, Y., Jiang, H., and Strand, M.R. (2008): The viral protein Egf1.0 is a dual activity inhibitor of prophenoloxidase-activating proteinases 1 and 3 from Manduca sexta. Journal of Biological Chemistry 283 (31), 21325- 21333

Beck, M.H. and Strand M.R. (2007): A novel polydnavirus protein inhibits the insect prophenoloxidase activation pathway. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 104 (49), 19267-19272

Beck, M.H., Inman, R.B., and Strand, M.R. (2007): Microplitis demolitor bracovirus genome segments vary in abundance and are individually packaged in virions. Virology 359, 179-189

Webb, B.A., Strand, M.R., Dickey, S.D., Beck, M., Hilgarth, R.S., Kadash, K., Kroemer, J.A., Lindstrom, K.G., Rattanadechakul, W., Shelby, K.S., Thoetkiattikul, L., Turnbull, M.W., Barney, W.E., and Witherell, R.A. (2006): Polydnavirus genomes reflect their dual roles as mutualists and pathogens. Virology 347, 160-174

Strand, M.R., Beck, M.H., Lavine, M.D., and Clark , K.D. (2006): Microplitis demolitor bracovirus inhibits phagocytosis by hemocytes from Pseudoplusia includens . Archives of Insect Biochemistry and Physiology 61, 134-145

Thoetkiattikul, L., Beck, M.H., and Strand , M.R. (2005): Inhibitor k B-like proteins from a polydnavirus inhibit NF- k B activation and suppress the insect immune response. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 102, 11426-11431

Beck, M. and Strand , M. (2005): Glc1.8 from Microplitis demolitor bracovirus induces a loss of adhesion and phagocytosis in insect High-Five and S2 cells. Journal of Virology 79, 1861-1870

Schmidt, O., Li, D., Beck, M., Kinuthia, W., Bellati, J., and Roberts, H.L.S. (2005): Phenol-oxidase-like activities and the function of virus-like particles in ovaries of the parthenogenetic parasitoid Venturia canescens . Journal of Insect Physiology 51, 117-125

Beck, M. and Strand, M. (2003): RNA interference silences Microplitis demolitor bracovirus genes and implicates glc1.8 in disruption of adhesion in infected host cells. Virology 314, 521-535

Asgari, S., Reineke, A., Beck, M., and Schmidt, O. (2002): Isolation and characterization of a nephrilysin-like protein from Venturia canescens virus-like particles. Insect Molecular Biology 11, 477-485

Reineke, A., Asgari, S., Ma, G., Beck, M., and Schmidt, O. (2002): Sequence analysis and expression of a virus-like particle protein, VLP2, from the parasitic wasp Venturia canescens. Insect Molecular Biology 11, 233-239

Beck, M., Reineke, A., Lorenz, H., Theopold, U., and Schmidt, O. (2001): Two distinct re-productive strategies are correlated with an ovarian phenotype in coexisting parthenogenetic strains of a parasitic wasp. Journal of Insect Physiology 47, 1189-1195

Schmidt, O., Asgari, S., Beck, M., and Theopold, U. (2000): Host defence manipulation by parasitoid wasps and the problem of assessing host specificity. In: The Hymenoptera: Evolution, Biodiversity & Biological Control (Edited by A.D. Austin & M. Dowton), pp. 29-37. CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne

Beck, M., Theopold, U., and Schmidt, O. (2000): Two genetically distinct Venturia canescens strains display different reproductive strategies. In: The Hymenoptera: Evolution, Biodiversity & Biological Control. (Edited by A.D. Austin & M. Dowton), pp. 38-45. CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne

Beck, M., Theopold, U., and Schmidt, O. (2000): Evidence for serine protease inhibitor activity in the ovarian calyx fluid of the endoparasitoid Venturia canescens . Journal of Insect Physiology 46, 1275-1283

Beck, M., Siekmann, G., Li, D., Theopold, U., and Schmidt, O. (1999): A maternal gene mutation correlates with an ovary phenotype in a parthenogenetic wasp population. Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 29, 453-460

Hellers, M., Beck, M., Theopold, U., Kamei, M., and Schmidt, O.(1996): Multiple alleles encoding a virus-like particle protein in the ichneumonid endoparasitoid Venturia canescens . Insect Molecular Biology 5, 239-249

Schroeder, G., Beck, M., Eichel, J., Vetter, H-P., and Schroeder, J. (1993): HSP90 homologue from Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus): cDNA sequence, regulation of protein expression and location in the endoplasmic reticulum. Plant Molecular Biology 23, 583-594