We continue our work aimed at understanding patterns of genetic and ecological diversification between and within populations of the main vector of malaria in Africa, the mosquitoes of the Anopheles gambiae complex. The overall aim of the projects are to achieve a better understanding of the population biology of the vector to control the disease it transmits. Work in this area includes 1) understanding patterns and process of spatial genetic differentiation between island and continental populations, 2) identifying genes controlling the innate immune response in mosquitoes that are infected with the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, 3) using museum samples to detect the geographic origin of an accidental introduction of An. gambiae in Brazil in the last century, 4) using DNA markers to detect the gut content of Anopheles larvae, to understand the process and patterns of spread of genes involved in insecticides resistance. These projects are in collaboration with Jeffrey Powell, Michael Reddy (Graduate Student, EPH), Erika Schielke (Graduate Student, EEB), and past post-docs Michel Slotman, Nikos Poulakakis, Jonathan Marshall (Southern Utah University), Aris Parmakelis (Un. of Athens), Michael Russello, many other US and international scientists, and several Yale Undergarduates.
Publications
Erika Schielke, EEB graduate student, sampling mosquito larvae to detect predation on mosquito larvae using DNA extracts from known or potential invertebrate predators.