Molecular mechanisms of thermotolerance in the major malaria vectors and its predicted impact on ecological adaption to climate change, fitness and insecticide-based control tools

Prof. Ibrahim was awarded Wellcome Trust Career Development Award in 2023 (https://wellcome.org/research-funding/funding-portfolio/funded-grants/molecular-mechanisms-thermotolerance-major-malaria). His project seeks to investigate the molecular mechanisms driving adaptations to climate change in African malaria mosquitoes; how the mechanisms impact the efficacy of major malaria control measures, for example, insecticide-treated bed nets; and how it can be exploited for the control of the malaria mosquitoes in the future warmer world. Malaria mosquitoes are collected along clinal gradient of increasing aridity from extreme southern Nigeria (very humid regions) up north, through the savannah to the desert in Niger Republic. Mosquitoes are being tasted to access their temperature and humidity resilience, from which the data will identify the likely vector species/forms to emerge as an evolutionary winner in the future warmer world.