Population Biology and Genomic Studies on Anopheles Funestus in Tanzania

Objectives

This grant will continue research on the biology and population genetics of the dominant malaria vector, Anopheles funestus, to make this species more tractable for genetic control. This will include a series of studies on determinants of An. funestus survival (dispersal, blood-feeding habits and plasticity, larval ecology in relation to the overall fitness of emergent adults).

These studies will inform ongoing efforts to colonize the local Tanzanian strain of An. funestus (FUTAZ). The team will utilize outcrossing with an established South African strain, as well as progressive adaptation to captivity via a semi-field system, where factors influencing mating and larval survival can be more easily controlled. Because An. funestus is a species complex that has not been fully characterized, it will also measure barriers to gene flow and evaluate the diversity of sibling species.

Finally, it is hypothesized that An. funestus is responsible for the majority of malaria transmission in several parts of Tanzania. The team will evaluate this hypothesis via indoor and outdoor mosquito collections and determination of sporozoite rates, and via a demonstration project on the impact of transiently crashing the local An. funestus population via targeted application of current vector control intervention