GCRF Vector Borne Disease Networks

The Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) funded nine Networks.  Members of ANTI-VeC can sign up to and work with members across the other funded Networks.

Vector-borne Disease Research Networks:

The Application of Novel Transgenic technology & Inherited symbionts to Vector Control (ANTI-VeC) network.

The Building out Vector-Borne Diseases in sub-Saharan Africa (BOVA) network.  BOVA aims to stimulate research in the area of vector-borne diseases and the built environment.

The Community Network for African Vector-Borne Plant Viruses (CONNECTED) network, which aims to build a sustainable network of international scientists and researchers to address the challenges of vector-borne plant viruses in Africa. 

The Gnatwork brings together workers on blackflies (Simulidae), sandflies (Psychodidae) and biting midges (Ceratopogonidae) from around the world to address technical issues that arise when working on small biting flies. We aim to support and develop early career researchers working on these insects in countries receiving official development assistance (ODA) and also carry out high quality studies that will underpin future research efforts on these vectors.

Vaccine Networks:

HIC-VAC: Human Challenge Model Network aims to support, develop and advocate for human infection challenge studies (HIC) to accelerate the development of vaccines against pathogens of high global impact.  This Network will enable open sharing of knowledge and expertise, using Network resources to increase HIC use in the UK and LMICs, disseminating best practice, enhancing training and fostering new collaborative studies relevant to high-impact pathogens.

VALIDATE: Vaccine deveLopment for complex Intracellular neglecteD pAThogEns Network aims to promote vaccine R&D for complex intracellular pathogens that cause significant disease burden in LMICs.  The initial focus is on Mycobacterium tuberculosis (which causes TB), Leishmania species (leishmaniasis), Burkholderia pseudomallei (melioidosis) and Mycobacterium leprae (leprosy). The Network is creating an engaged and interactive community of researchers who are forming new cross-pathogen, cross-continent, cross-species and cross-discipline collaborations, generating new ideas, taking advantage of synergies and quickly disseminating lessons learned across the Network, with the aim of together making significant progress towards vaccines against the focus pathogens. Key interests are in-vivo research, cross-pathogen studies, projects promoting the One Health agenda, and collaborative projects involving LMICs and Early Career researchers.

IMPRINT: IMmunising PRegnant women and INfants Network aims to build a sustainable Network of stakeholders from basic science, immunology, vaccinology, social sciences, industry, public health, national and international policy makers, to increase protection from infection in neonates via the safe and effective use of vaccines in pregnancy and in newborns. The Network will nurture discovery and implementation science in close collaboration with sites and investigators in LMICs, including via an IMPRINT fellowship scheme.

BactiVac: The Bacterial Vaccines Network will accelerate the development of vaccines against bacterial infections, particularly those relevant to LMICs. The BactiVac Network will bring together academic, industrial and other partners involved in vaccine research against human and animal bacterial infections from the UK and LMICs. The Network will foster partnership and provide catalyst project and training funding to encourage cross-collaboration between academic and industrial partners.

IVVN: International Veterinary Vaccinology Network is a multidisciplinary community passionate about developing vaccines to improve animal and human health. The Network will facilitate the formation of international collaborations to improve vaccine design and development for livestock and zoonotic diseases in low-and-middle income countries (LMICs). Furthermore, the International Veterinary Vaccinology Network will bring together researchers from across the fields of veterinary and human vaccinology, irrespective of pathogen or species of interest, with the aim of addressing key bottlenecks that are preventing vaccine development for important pathogens of livestock in LMICs.

Publications

Here is a selection of recently published papers by ANTI-VeC members. To get your publications listed here, please email  Evangelia Tavoulari-Matthiopoulos at:

Evangelia.Tavoulari-Matthiopoulos@glasgow.ac.uk

 

  • Development and calibration of a model for the potential establishment and impact of Aedes albopictus in Europe. Pasquali S, Mariani L, Calvitti M, et al., 2020. Acta Tropica. READ ARTICLE
  • Trans-stadial fate of the gut bacterial microbiota in Anopheles albimanus. Galeano-Castañeda Y, Bascuñán P, Serre D, et al., 2020. Acta Tropica. READ ARTICLE
  • Establishment of Wolbachia Strain wAlbB in Malaysian Populations of Aedes aegypti for Dengue Control. Nazni WA, Hoffmann AA, NoorAfizah A, et al., 2019. Current Biology. READ ARTICLE
  • A Cross-Sectional Survey of Biosafety Professionals Regarding Genetically Modified Insects. O'Brochta D, Tonui WK, Dass B, et al., 2019. Applied Biosafety. READ ARTICLE
  • Aedes aegypti (Aag2)-derived clonal mosquito cell lines reveal the effects of pre-existing persistent infection with the insect-specific bunyavirus Phasi Charoen-like virus on arbovirus replication. Fredericks AC, Russell TA, Wallace LE, et al., 2019. PLoS NTD. READ ARTICLE
  • The Sodalis system and flux balance analysis as a tool for investigating insect-microbe interactions and the evolution of symbioses. Hall R, Flanagan L, Bottery M, et al., 2019. Access Microbiology. READ ARTICLE
  • Investigating the blood-host plasticity and dispersal of Anopheles coluzzii using a novel field-based methodology. Orsborne J, Furuya-Kanamori L, Jeffries CL, et al., 2019. Parasites and Vectors. READ ARTICLE

  • Female resistance and harmonic convergence influence male mating success in Aedes aegypti. Aldersley A & Cator L, 2019. Scientific Reports. READ ARTICLE

  • Population genetics of Anopheles funestus, the African malaria vector, Kenya. Ogola EO, Odero JO, Mwangangi JM, et al., 2019. Parasites and Vectors. READ ARTICLE

  • Vertical transmission of naturally occurring Bunyamwera and insect-specific flavivirus infections in mosquitoes from islands and mainland shores of Lakes Victoria and Baringo in Kenya. Ajamma YU, Onchuru TO, Ouso DO, et al., 2019. PLoS NTD. READ ARTICLE

  • A CRISPR–Cas9 gene drive targeting doublesex causes complete population suppression in caged Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes. Kyrou K, Hammond A, Galizi R, et al., 2018. Nature Biotech. READ ARTICLE
  •  The sequence of a male-specific genome region containing the sex determination switch in Aedes aegypti. Turner J, Krishna R, van’t Hof AE, et al., 2018. Parasites & Vectors. READ ARTICLE
  • Host Decoy Trap (HDT) with cattle odour is highly effective for collection of exophagic malaria vectors. Abong’o B, Yu X, Donnelly MJ, et al., 2018. Parasites & Vectors. READ ARTICLE
  • An Anopheles stephensi Promoter-Trap: Augmenting Genome Annotation and Functional Genomics. Reid W, Pilitt K, Alford R, et al., 2018. G3: Genes, Genomes and Genetics. READ ARTICLE
  • Eave ribbons treated with the spatial repellent, transfluthrin, can effectively protect against indoor-biting and outdoor-biting malaria mosquitoes. Mmbando AS, Ngowo H, Limwagu A, et al., 2018. Malaria Journal. READ ARTICLE
  • Variation in Wolbachia effects on Aedes mosquitoes as a determinant of invasiveness and vectorial capacity. King JG, Souto-Maior C, Sartori LM, et al., 2018. Nature communications. READ ARTICLE
  • Mesocosm experiments reveal the impact of mosquito control measures on malaria vector life history and population dynamics. Ng'habi K, Viana M, Matthiopoulos J, et al., 2018. Scientific Reports. READ ARTICLE
  • Ecology of reproduction of Anopheles arabiensis in an urban area of Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso (West Africa): Monthly swarming and mating frequency and their relation to environmental factors. Somda NSB, Poda BS, Sawadogo PS, et al., 2018. PLOS ONE. READ ARTICLE
  • Insights into malaria transmission among Anopheles funestus mosquitoes, Kenya. Ogola EO, Fillinger U, Ondiba IM, et al., 2018. G3: Parasites and Vectors. READ ARTICLE

  • Spatiotemporal characterisation and risk factor analysis of malaria outbreak in Cabo Verde in 2017. DePina AJ, Andrade AJB, Dia AK, et al., 2019. Tropical Medicine and Health. READ ARTICLE

Key Reports/Papers

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other Resources

No-Cost Vector Research Products, InfraVec2

Deadline: Continuous call for Applications, open 2017-2021

Transnational Access Activity Funded by European Commission

Link: https://infravec2.eu/vector-research-products/

Other Related Centres, Networks and Projects

MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research is funded by the Medical Research Council and by a variety of other funding bodies including the Wellcome Trust, BBSRC, EU and others, with the mission being to carry out fundamental research on viruses and viral diseases, translating the knowledge gained for the improvement of health and society.  The Centre’s research programmes address chronic and community acquired viral infections, host immunity to virus infections, emerging and zoonotic virus infections, structural virology, and virus genomics & bioinformatics.  The overarching goal of the Arthropod-borne infections programme is to better understand mosquito-virus interactions, including antiviral innate immunity, vector competence and the inhibitory effects of symbionts such as Wolbachia on transmission; to provide potential new strategies for vector control; and to understand arbovirus replication and vertebrate immune responses to infection.

The Imperial Centre of Excellence in Malaria is an interdisciplinary network of researchers at Imperial College London,  united in the common aim of malaria eradication. The Centre has a unique capacity to combine Insight, Innovation and Impact to achieve this aim: new scientific insights from studying malaria at every scale from molecules to populations; new technological innovations to develop the diagnostic tools and treatments we need to achieve our goal; and expertise in translation science, modelling and assessment to evaluate potential and actual impact.  The Centre brings together scientists working across the Imperial College Faculties of Natural Sciences, Engineering, Medicine and the Business School, together with a global network of research, industry and field partners including many in disease-endemic countries.

Target Malaria is a not-for-profit research consortium that aims to develop and share technology for malaria control.  It started as a university-based research programme and has grown to include scientists, stakeholder engagement teams, risk assessment specialists and regulatory experts from Africa, North America and Europe.

Infravec2 is an international and interdisciplinary research project on insect vectors of human and animal disease, including mosquitoes, sandflies and other flies.  It provides research resources and access to key infrastructures for insect vector biology at no cost to the end-user.  The goal is to accelerate European research in insect vector biology research, and to develop new vector control measures targeting the greatest threats to human health and animal industries.