Our research has led to the discovery of a mosquito-based malaria transmission-blocking vaccine (TBV) candidate (the AnAPN1 TBV), which has recently completed process development studies and is under consideration for First-In-Human trials in the near future.
[Pictured: Plasmodium falciparum male gamete "exflagellating"]
It has been estimated that more than 1-2 million individuals succumb to Malaria every year, a majority of whom are children under the age of five. Plasmodium parasites, the causative agent of malaria, are transmitted to a vertebrate host by the infective bite of an Anopheles mosquito.
[Pictured: AnAPN1 antigen's N-terminal region depicting key antibody epitopes in purple, green, blue and red]
Despite widespread malaria control efforts, residual malaria transmission continues to be observed, calling in to question whether the global malaria elimination goals can actually be achieved. A large proportion of this residual malaria parasite transmission is due to low numbers of parasites that cannot be detected by available blood-based rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) or microscopy.
[Pictured: schematic of the saliva collection process]
We conduct both basic and applied research studies in the context of understanding mosquito-transmitted arbovirus transmission biology. This research includes viral pathogen surveillance in mosquitoes and ticks, Florida-relevant vector competence studies, insect-specific virus acquisition modes, as well as mosquito immunology and viral infection dynamics.
[Pictured: Aedes aegypti biting a finger. Image by Sean McCann]
Jasmine's 1st first-author paper (Yay Jasmine!) that dissects very early innate immune defense mechanisms of mosquito vectors following infection with flaviviruses.
Florida has been the epicenter for Zika in the United States and is now poised to become a national hub for efforts to fight the virus.
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