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jueves, 28 de marzo 2024
28/03/2024
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Lab accomplishments

1. Examining native Aedes populations of Medellín, Colombia

Medellín is populated by Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus, the primary and secondary vectors of dengue, respectively. To better understand how these disease vectors behave in an urban environment where they thrive, we have worked with various groups to directly examine native Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus populations in Medellín, a city endemic for dengue. We have projects involving local Aedes populations that have examined: 1) the blood-feeding behaviors of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus, 2) oviposition behaviors of Ae. albopictus, 3) population interactions of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus, 4) the spatial dynamics of Ae. albopictus males and females, and 5) the genetic diversity of Medellín’s Ae. aegypti populations. These projects are being performed in collaboration with groups at the University of Antioquia, Cornell University, Syracuse University, the Secretaria de Salud de Medellín, and the Jardín Botánico de Medellín. Although some of this work is still in progress, our results have identified important characteristics of Aedes species in Medellín that will ultimately inform mosquito control in this, and other tropical cities.

Results of two of these studies can found here:

https://parasitesandvectors.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13071-019-3710-6

https://parasitesandvectors.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13071-021-04806-2

2. Identifying Aedes aegypti female-specific genes important for fertility.

In insects, including Ae. aegypti, mating induces gene expression in female reproductive tract tissues that are important for fertility. One organ essential for fertility is the spermathecae, where sperm are stored by females after mating. Spermathecal genes regulated by mating have been identified in Drosophila melanogaster and the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae, but the transcriptional response of this organ to mating in Ae. aegypti was unknown. Further, because female mosquitoes need to blood-feed to develop eggs, blood-ingestion may also regulate gene expression, an area that has not been explored in any anautogenous species. Our group has identified hundreds of genes that respond to both mating and blood-ingestion, showing that each stimulus differentially influences transcription in the spermathecae. Further, with our collaborators at Cornell University, we have identified spermathecal genes that respond directly to receipt of male seminal proteins. While much has been reported about the male-specific genes important for fertility, our work has identified hundreds of gene candidates that are likely to be important for fertility in Ae. aegypti females.

Our initial results can be found here:

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-71904-z

3. Welcoming undergraduate contributions.

An overlooked component to most laboratories are contributions made by undergraduate researchers. Although undergraduates may enter the lab without scientific experience, they can be adept at learning the scientific process and performing laborious experiments that generate data that will inform an area of investigation. Our group has incorporated undergraduates into our major projects, and they have proven that they can withstand the rigors of academic science and be productive lab members. In our short time at UdeA, we have had 3 undergraduates join our group, all of which were major contributors in a since published field project, and 2 of which have published their thesis projects (as lead authors) in Q1 international journals. We will continue to accept undergraduate researchers in our group and encourage other labs to tap into this amazing resource as well.

Field project with major undergraduate contributions:

Field project with major undergraduate contributions:

https://parasitesandvectors.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13071-021-04806-2

Published undergraduate thesis projects:

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2021.691221/full

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S002219101930318X?via%3Dihub

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Universidad de Antioquia | Vigilada Mineducación | Acreditación institucional hasta el 2022 | NIT 890980040-8
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