Genome - wide association studies to map genetic variation underlying mosquito susceptibility to human malaria

Based on the fact that some mosquitoes are better malaria transmitters than others, this project aims to investigate the differences in the genetic make-up of these mosquitoes using a technology that intimately examines the mosquito genome. This comparison and follow-up tests will identify genes that are associated with mosquito capacity to carry the most deadly of the human malarias. Discovering the mosquito genes that have a big impact on malaria transmission is an essential step towards the promising strategy of developing drugs and vaccines that target the parasite while it is in the mosquito.