-
Dr. Andre West is an Associate Professor and Director of The Zeis Textiles Extension (ZTE) at the Wilson College of Textiles at North Carolina State University. He has been in the apparel business for over 40 years, in fashion trend forecasting, fashion design, textile design, manufacturing, retailing, and finally, in academic research and teaching.
The researcher focuses primarily on integrating technology into the textile and apparel industry. This encompasses several key aspects, including consumer-oriented customization, 3-D virtual garment creation, AI-driven generative design, 3-D body scanning, and whole-garment knitwear. Furthermore, the researcher has adopted a holistic approach to his work, which is evidenced by his establishment of The Greater Good Textile Group, a student-led initiative at NC State University who are dedicated to sustainability in the textile industry while also being a supportive advocate for the ethical and humane treatment of industry workers.
The researcher has also received international recognition for collaborating with researchers from the CALS and the Entomology Department, which involved designing and producing mosquito-resistant clothing without harmful chemicals. His efforts in this area have garnered grant awards from the Department of Defense and others.
The researcher’s latest area of research focuses on developing sustainable fabrications and a circular textile economy. Specifically, he is exploring the use of hemp as an alternative fiber for military and commercial clothing to mitigate the negative impact of textiles on global warming and the fast fashion industry.Dr. R. Michael Roe’s laboratory is working in the following project areas: (a) Development of diagnostic technologies for the management of insect resistance to traditional and transgenic crops and the management of insect vector borne-diseases, (b) Using comparative quantitative transcriptomics to determine the mechanism of bollworm resistance to GMO corn and cotton, (c) The impact of crop GMOs on the cotton insect microbiome and the evolution of insect resistance, (d) The development of novel textile structure for plant protection from insects, drought and cold, (e) The development of mechanical (non- chemical), sprayable mechanical insecticides for Ag production, vector control, and head lice, (f) Molecular biology of tick and mite reproduction and heme-binding proteins, (g) Development of insect repellents for personal protection from mosquito and tick borne diseases (a new NCSU startup company), (h) The development of new textile structure for chemical-free bite proof clothing (a second new NCSU startup company), (i) Prototyping and field evaluation of the next generation combat shirt, (j) Molecular biology of tick olfaction and IR detection by the Haller’s organ, (k) Endocrine regulation of the tick microbiome and bacterial transovarial movement, (l) Role of the microbiome in the transmission of scrub typhus in chiggers, (m) The development of mechanical (non-chemical) mosquito nets for Africa, (n) The development of mechanical insecticides as residual sprays for the control of malaria and Zika mosquitoes, and (o) the impact of environmental chemicals including pesticides like DEET, Fipronil and permethrin on global gene expression in primary human liver and the role of long non-coding RNAs. Cross-disciplinary training is provided in Entomology, Physiology, Toxicology, Chemistry and Textile Science and offering degrees in each of these programs with minors in Biotechnology. The laboratory is organized into protein chemistry, molecular biology and analytical chemistry and collaborates with several other labs on campus. The program is also active in technology transfer, obtaining patents and licensing technology, and is engaged in a number of active collaborations with private industry in different aspects of the research listed.
Insecticide-Free, Bite-Proof Clothing for Everyday
August 8, 2023
2:00 PM (EDT)
one-hour virtual presentation
2023-08-08 2:00 PM
Insecticide-Free, Bite-Proof Clothing for Everyday
Join AATCC August 8 at 2:00PM (EDT) for a one-hour virtual presentation on Insecticide-Free, Bite-Pr[...]
