David Grzywacz

Biography

After working for The Centre for Overseas Pest Control – one of the Natural Resources Institute's parent organisations – at Porton Down from 1979, David Grzywacz joined the University of Greenwich in 1994 as senior scientist and insect pathologist. He became head of the insect pathology research group in 1993 and subsequently head of the sustainable agriculture group in 2003. He served as head of the Agriculture, Health & Environment Department in 2005–06. David is deputy programme leader for the MSc in sustainable environmental management and the MSc in agriculture for sustainable development. His career highlights over the last five years have included the development of a new biological control for African armyworm (Grzywacz et al 2008) and the first ever publication on the role of Wolbachia in synergising virus infections in insects (Graham et al 2012). Foci have also included providing scientific advice to new companies setting up production of biological pesticides in Kenya, Ghana and Tanzania, as well as advising the governments of Kenya, Ghana and Tanzania (ongoing) on appropriate policies and regulations for registering novel biological pesticides. David's collaborating academics include Professor Ken Wilson of Lancaster University, Professor Anthony Shelton of Cornell University, Associate Professor Derek Russell of Melbourne University and Professor Jenny Cory of Simon Fraser University.

Research Interest

David Grzywacz's main research interest is biological control of global and emergent insect pests using insect pathogens. This includes the development of pesticides based upon insect viruses as specific and safe alternatives to the use of synthetic chemical pesticides and the development of biologically based crop protection. A more recent focus is how agricultural research can be translated into greater real impact in developing countries.