Landscape genetics in the control of Anopheles gambiae

In the last few years carbamate and organophosphate insecticides have become increasing important for indoor residual spraying (IRS) as a response to heightening levels of resistance to pyrethroids. However, the scale-up of IRS in West Africa, provides the potential for resistance to spread dramatically from the agricultural areas where currently most prevalent. Information from this project is critical to help prevent resistance rapidly undermining current initiatives in IRS-based control. The work would explore recent advances in cost-effective molecular marker screening, analysis techniques and identification of key insecticide resistance mutations to address key aims. The researcher will investigate how movements of the dominant West African malaria vectors, Anopheles gambiae and An. coluzzii, within and across heterogeneous environments throughout Ghana can spread insecticide resistance. Individual mosquitoes will be screened at thousands of genomewide markers, in a statistically powerful design tailored toward individual-based landscape genetic analyses. Alongside diagnostic screening of mutations causing strong insecticide resistance,and studies of their fitness costs and benefits, the work will provide timely insight into factors promoting and retarding spread of resistance to important insecticide classes.

Basic Science
Drug Resistance
Genetics and Genomics
Vector Control

Jul 2016 — Dec 2019

$234,340

United Kingdom