Behavioural and resistance genomics in an invasive urban malaria vector in Africa. (360G-Wellcome-339631_Z_25_Z)

Malaria in Africa is a predominantly rural disease, but the recent invasion and rapid spread of an urban vector of malaria, Anopheles stephensi, has created widespread concerns of malaria epidemics in Africa’s large urban centres. This health emergency requires an urgent response of improved surveillance and vector control informed by a fundamental understanding of the evolution and demographics of this spreading, invasive population in the face of vector control. A major obstacle to this is our limited understanding of An. stephensi genomics. This proposal will use genomic analysis to address three major challenges to informed An. stephensi control. 1. I will use genomics, transcriptomics and CRISPR gene editing to identify and validate genetic markers of insecticide resistance, so that the spread of resistance can be monitored and appropriate insecticides can be deployed. 2. I will use genomic tools to the evolution and demographics of An. stephensi after insecticide deployment, so that the effect of control interventions can be measured. 3. I will elucidate the genetic basis of key behaviours that could lead to behavioural resistance to control, to understand the risks that this poses, monitor its spread, and improve our understanding of these behaviours in malaria vectors as a whole.