PAMCA at ANTI-VeC meeting in Kilifi, Kenya
Between 26-28 February 2023, the PAMCA team participated in the ANTI-VeC Network Meeting on “Genetic and Symbiont-based Control Approaches for Vector Control” that took place in, Kilifi, Kenya. ANTI-VeC is a Vector-borne Disease Network led by the University of Glasgow, United Kingdom. It is funded by the UK government Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) which supports research on global issues affecting developing countries.
Dr. Damaris Matoke-Muhia gave an oral presentation on the work she had done in collaboration with icipe on "Detection of disease-causing Rickettsia africae and diverse heritable endosymbionts and gut bacteria in sandflies collected in Kenya’s Rift Valley region". The study is funded by ANTI-VeC/UK Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF). Damaris was awarded a travel scholarship by ANTI-VeC to attend the meeting.
Amelie Wamba, Coordinator of the Gene Drive project at PAMCA also attended the ANTI-VeC meeting Kenya. She did a poster presentation of her PhD research work on the topic “Investigating the molecular basis of insecticide resistance in mosquito vectors of malaria across Africa”.
The poster showcased the importance to map the insecticide resistance profile of metabolic actors like detoxification genes in Anopheles funestus, one of the major malaria vectors across Africa. This meeting provided an opportunity for different partners to showcase their work and build relationships with colleagues working in diverse fields of research focusing on the development of genetic/symbiont vector control strategies and related fields. This includes both suppression and replacement/transmission blocking approaches, from vector-pathogen/symbiont interactions and line creation to symbiont discovery, relevant aspects of vector biology, ecology and behavior, and social science.