Michael Roe

R. Michael Roe, Ph.D, is a William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor in the Department of Entomology and the Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology at North Carolina State University (NCSU) in Raleigh, NC and was elected as Fello in 2012. He is internationally recognized for his research in insect and acarine physiology, biochemistry, genomics and toxicology and the use of fundamental research in chemistry, nuclear science and biology to solve practical problems and develop new commercial technologies.

Dr. Roe was born in Plaquemine, Louisiana in 1952 where he graduated high school in 1970. He obtained his B.S. degree with a minor in chemistry from Louisiana State University (LSU) in Baton Rouge in 1974. He continued his graduate education at LSU obtaining a M.S. degree in physiology with a minor in biochemistry in 1976 and a Ph.D. in entomology and a minor in nuclear science in 1981. He was a NIH fellow in Cellular and Molecular Biology in the department of entomology at the University of California at Davis from 1981-1984 and in 1984 accepted a position as assistant professor in entomology at North Carolina State University, Raleigh.

Dr. Roe’s laboratory focuses on understanding how insect and acarine systems function at the molecular level, the use of synthetic organic chemistry to understand structure-activity, and applications in bioassay, chemistry, molecular biology, and physics to solve practical pest problems in the context of integrated pest management. Dr. Roe also is interested on the impact of environmental chemicals on human health, focusing on global gene expression and epigenetics using primary human cells, risk assessment and mechanisms of action. His lab is especially active in technology transfer and product development. Some of his greatest successes include a US EPA registered insect and tick repellent more effective than DEET and a fast acting, natural broad spectrum herbicide among many others. Dr. Roe has been at NCSU for more than 30 years and is a prolific author with more than 250 published papers, 8 books, 36 patents and 10 licensed technologies. He has been an invited speaker for more than 40 scientific events throughout the world and was the organizer of several National and International scientific meetings. He is the president of the company, InTox Biotech, in Middlesex, NC and has served or is serving on the advisory boards for several companies and non-profit organizations in the US. Dr. Roe is also a founding member of the interdepartmental Biotechnology Program at NCSU which provides hands-on courses in molecular techniques and a minor in Biotechnology and has developed new courses at NCSU in physiology, insect morphology, molecular entomology, toxicology, and professional development.

Dr. Roe has received several awards for his accomplishments. However, he considers his greatest professional successes and greatest joy in the more than 50 graduate students that he has trained as the committee advisor with M.S. and Ph.D.’s in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Nuclear Engineering, Physiology, Toxicology, Biology, Textile Science and Entomology at NCSU. He has also trained over 20 postdoctoral researchers. His graduates and postdocs have gone on to successful careers in academia, industry and government in the US and literally throughout most of the world. Dr. Roe is married to Janet (Richard) Roe and has a son, Jonathan, and a daughter, Jennifer. His hobbies include work on his farm east of Raleigh, repairs on his MG, camping, and surf fishing on islands off the coast of NC.