Professor to discuss coffee's potential to repel mosquitoes

Justin Anderson, assistant professor of biology at Radford University, will appear on the public radio program "With Good Reason" beginning Saturday to discuss his research involving coffee and mosquitoes.

To prevent spread of the mosquito-borne La Crosse virus, which can cause encephalitis, primarily in children, Anderson conducted two years of research to determine whether coffee extracts interfere with the replication of the virus or simply kill the pestiferous insects. He will discuss his research in a taped interview on "With Good Reason" March 2-8.

Listeners in the New River Valley can hear Anderson at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, March 5, on Public Radio WVRU 89.9.

"With Good Reason" is broadcast weekly on 13 public radio stations, reaching a diverse audience in Virginia, Washington, D.C., and portions of Maryland, West Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia and Alaska. Programs also are available through podcasts at withgoodreasonradio.org.

In 2006, "With Good Reason" won the Virginia Association of Broadcasters award for Best Documentary/Public Affairs Program in the public radio division and took second place nationally in its division of the Public Radio News Directors’ competition.

"With Good Reason" is produced by the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities for the Virginia Higher Education Broadcasting Consortium.