IMPACT OF MID-GUT BACTERIA ON ANOPHELES MOSQUITOES

疟疾仍然是非洲的一个主要问题。 在非洲成功控制疟疾的关键之一是了解病媒和疟疾传播动态。 国际上需要培训从事医学昆虫学和疟疾研究的年轻科学家。 该培训计划将在肯尼亚为杜兰大学的一名研究生提供为期一年的疟疾病媒研究和培训。 这项研究将在内罗毕的国际昆虫生理学和生态学中心（ICIPE）与美国国立卫生研究院非洲疟疾病媒研究中心（NIH ICIDR）合作进行。对蚊子幼虫和成虫中肠细菌的基础研究将为学员提供一个独特的机会，学习医学昆虫学的基本技术，并对蚊子生态进行实地研究。 在国际培训方面，杜兰大学的学生将：（1）获得细菌学生物化学和分子技术方面的经验，（2）学习如何进行蚊子实地研究，（3）获得国际研究经验，（4）为未来建立联系和合作。 这项研究将包括实地和实验室两个部分，将在内罗毕和肯尼亚西部姆比塔角的IPE设施进行，并通过肯尼亚医学研究所在内罗毕和肯尼亚海岸基利菲的实验室进行。 学生将根据三个具体目标指导研究：（1）调查疟疾媒介物种主要物种中中肠细菌的地理和栖息地相关差异，（2）确定蚊子获得中肠细菌的机制，以及（3）确定蚊子中肠细菌对野生捕获蚊子中疟疾寄生虫孢子发育的影响。为了完成这项研究，学生将由来自ICIPE和KEMRI的六位专家科学家以及杜兰导师指导，他们也将与肯尼亚的学生一起工作。 在肯尼亚的培训将为美国研究生提供宝贵的接触传染病的国际研究，并更好地了解非洲疟疾的公共卫生问题。

Malaria continues to be a major problem in Africa. One of the keys to successful malaria control in Africa involves understanding the vector and malaria transmission dynamics. There is an international need to train young scientists in medical entomology and malaria research. This training plan will provide one-year of malaria vector research and training in Kenya to a Tulane University graduate student. The research will be conducted at the International Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) in Nairobi, in collaboration with an NIH ICIDR on African Malaria Vectors. Basic studies on midgut bacteria of larval and adult mosquitoes will provide the trainee with a unique opportunity to learn basic techniques in medical entomology and to conduct field studies on mosquito ecology. In terms of international training, the student from Tulane will: (1) gain experience in biochemical and molecular techniques in bacteriology, (2) learn how to conduct mosquito field studies, (3) gain international research experience, and (4) form contacts and collaborations for the future. The research will involve both field and laboratory components, and will be conducted at ICIPE facilities in Nairobi and Mbita Point in western Kenya, and through the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) Laboratories in Nairobi and in Kilifi, on the coast of Kenya. The student will direct research studies according to three specific aims: (1) investigate geographic and habitat-related differences in midgut bacteria in the primary species of malaria vector species, (2) determine mechanisms by which mosquitoes acquire the midgut bacteria, and (3) determine the impact of bacteria in mosquito midguts on the sporogonic development of malaria parasites in wild-caught mosquitoes. To accomplish this research, the student will be guided by six expert scientists from ICIPE and KEMRI, and by the Tulane mentor who will also work with the student in Kenya. This training in Kenya will provide the U.S. graduate student with a valuable exposure to international research in infectious diseases and a better appreciation of the public health problem of malaria in Africa.