Research Focus
New technologies to control mosquitoes and diseases they transmit are developing rapidly – from the natural pathogen-blocking symbiotic bacteria to the engineered “selfish genes”.
In creating and assessing new mosquito control technologies, we take the approach “from the field – to the lab – back to the field”. This means that we study natural mosquito populations, do laboratory experiments, and aim to produce practical solutions for field deployment. In doing so, we generate and analyse genomic and other “omics” data from a single mosquito cell to a system of mosquito populations.
We use spatial population genomics and simulation modelling to understand how mosquitoes move, mate and survive in different environments so that we can apply optimal control strategies. We also investigate mosquito genomes to identify and test genes that can be targeted for genetic control, so that we can move away from chemical insecticides.
We collaborate with the leading scientists in Australia, USA, Asia-Pacific and Europe to address the current challenges and predict future obstacles in protecting the communities in Queensland, Australia and around the globe from the mosquito-borne diseases.
Gallery
Research Projects
Current Research Projects
Understanding mosquito movement and its relevance to control through genetic analysis.
Predicting invasion pathways of urban exotic mosquitoes.
RESVEC - Population genomics of Aedes mosquitoes in French Polynesia.
Past Research Projects
Drosophila Research Education Laboratory (Engaging Science Grant ESG1232021)
Safely engineering various classes of gene drives to control a major invasive disease vector Ae. aegypti (DARPA HR0011-17-2-0047).
Surveillance and population connectivity of Aedes aegypti along major transport corridors in the Wide Bay-Burnett region, Queensland (Mosquito and Arbovirus Research Committee MARC).
Research Team
Igor Filipović
Jui-Hsuan Chang
Funding
- National Institutes of Health (NIH, USA)
- National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)
- Australian Government Department of Health
- Office of the Queensland Chief Scientist - Queensland Government
Publications
Vasquez V, et al. wMel replacement of dengue-competent mosquitoes is robust to near-term climate change. Nature Climate Change 13, 848–855 (2023).
Rašić G, et al. Monitoring needs for gene drive mosquito projects: lessons from vector control field trials and invasive species. Frontiers in Genetics 12, 780327 (2022).
Sharma Y, et al. Close-kin mark-recapture methods to estimate demographic parameters of mosquitoes. PLoS Computational Biology 18 (12), e1010755 (2022).
Further Information
- John Marshall, UC Berkeley
- Louis Lambrechts, Institut Pasteur
- Environmental Health Institute/NEA Singapore
- Jennifer Bannan, Brisbane South State Secondary College
- Brian Montgomery, Metro South Health
- Brendan Trewin, CSIRO
- Nigel Beebe, UQ
- Hérve Bossin, Institut Louis Malardé
- Francoise Mathieu-Daude, Institute of Research for Development