How insecticides impact malaria parasite infectivity (23*)

• Subject Area: Parasitology and Biology of Tropical Infectious Disease Pathogens
• Term: since 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 240245660

Insecticide-based vector control tools are the number one tool for reducing malaria cases and yet no stud-ies explored the impact on the infectivity of the parasite. Plasmodium parasites, which cause malaria, un-dergo several bottlenecks, each of which relies on motility. As insecticides are known to impact reactive oxygen sensing and mitochondria, it is likely that these chemistries directly impact this phenotype. In this project, we will explore if and how insecticides impact the motile mosquito-stage of Plasmodium, the sporo-zoites. To achieve this, we will use a combination of molecular biology, imaging, scRNAseq, modelling and material sciences.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1129: Integrative Analysis of Pathogen – Replication and Spread
• Applicant Institution: Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg
• Project Head: Dr. Victoria Ingham