The vector physiology group studies host parasite interactions.
Many invertebrates are important vectors for commercially important diseases that affect man directly, and indirectly via livestock.
By studying the relationships between parasites, vectors and their hosts we can gain insights into novel mechanisms for control.
The cues that are used by biting insects to find their hosts
Biting midge, Steve Archibald @ IAH Pirbright
Research involves the isolation, characterization, bioassay, and biology of sex and aggregation pheromones in biting midges and the salmon louse; host location cues in biting midges and the salmon louse; habitat related oviposition cues in mosquitoes.
By understanding such cues it is hoped to develop strategies to divert these arthropods away from their hosts.
Other work concerns the molecular taxonomy and behaviour of Culicoides sp that act as vectors of blue tongue virus and African horse sickness virus of livestock
Culcoides sp, showing biting mouthparts in red (from Institute for Animal Health web site)
Ticks and their salivary glands
Ticks are truly fascinating organisms worthy of study from an applied and an academic angle. The Bowman group covers tick research at many levels of scale. The molecular physiology of the tick salivary gland is studied to ascertain how saliva is produced and what bioactive components it contains. With industrial partners, they are identifying “genes & screens” of targets suitable for pesticide development. At the large scale, they study the epidemiological risk indices in Louping Ill virus and Lyme disease.
Fed tick
Work includes development of novel targets at the protein and gene level for the development of drugs that kill ticks, and the development of protocols for assessing their potential.
Other work concerns programmed Cell Death in Tick Salivary Glands. After adult ticks have fed on the host, the salivary glands are no longer needed and degenerate over the next few days. This work investigates the mechanisms of this deliberate and non-pathological process and studies the genes and proteins involved.
© Medscape http://www.medscape.com/
The transmission of the malaria parasite
Peter's work focusses on the gut of the mosquito where the parasite oocysts bind before invading the gut wall, as an important potential area for development of new targets.
Malaria is one of the most important human diseases in the developing world killing millions of people every year.
Mosquito gut with malaria parasite oocysts (oo)
This work also concerns the factors that control how long mosquitos live.
Lifespan is extremely important in disease transmission. The longer a mosquito lives the more likely it is to bite and infected human and pass on malaria.
The immunology and epidemiology of African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness)
Different areas in Africa have very different prevalence of sleeping sickness.
Sleeping sickness survey in Malawi
Research is focussing on immunogenetic differences in host-populations with different disease presentation, the interaction of trypanosomes with host natural-immune factors, to understand these differences.
The evolution of parasite resistance - understanding host-parasite interactions at the molecular level
Cath Jones and Les Noble
Human schistosomiasis
The main model system being used is the freshwater snail intermediate host for the trematode Schistosoma sp. and the causative agent of human schistosomiasis.
Schistosoma sp
Current work spans the fields of population genetics, phylogenetics, the identification, and evolution of snail intermediate hosts, through to developing molecular approaches for the isolation and characterization of genes involved in parasite resistance
Snail host