Assessing the potential for mosquito vector-borne disease emergence in Northern Ireland: enhanced surveillance and investigation of the ecology of Cul

"This project will focus largely on the common house mosquito, Culex pipiens, and the potential for the emergence of vector-borne disease in Northern Ireland. The project is a collaboration between Queen's University Belfast and the University of Glasgow, as part of the North-West Bio DTP. Culex pipiens is a useful study species because it is easily reared and maintained in a laboratory environment, and is currently responsible for the circulation of diseases (e.g., West Nile Virus) in mainland Europe & North America. Work will be conducted to investigate the distribution and ecology of mosquito species in Northern Ireland, because currently mosquito surveillance work in the UK is heavily focused elsewhere. This will be completed largely through fieldwork and using morphological characteristics to inform species identification, though there is potential for molecular work to be required to identify more cryptic specimens. This work could potentially lead on to identifying emerging diseases circulated by Northern Irish mosquitoes. Next, work will be conducted to validate the use of infrared spectroscopy and machine learning to age grade Culex pipiens mosquitoes from a lab-reared population. Mosquitoes will be sampled at different timepoints to develop the use of this tool. This could have valuable applications in the field, as the ability to quickly and efficiently age grade mosquitoes will greatly aid surveillance work and inform the effectiveness of vector control programmes. Aspects of physiology and behaviour of Culex pipiens mosquitoes will be investigated in the Centre for Virus Research (University of Glasgow) insectary. For example, how blood-feeding behaviour varies as female mosquitoes age will be investigated. There is the potential for populations of Scottish and Northern Irish mosquitoes to be directly compared here. For example, differences in behaviour or vector competence to transmit disease. The ecological interactions of Culex pipiens larvae will be investigated in the Portaferry Marine Lab (Queen's University Belfast). For example, interactions between larvae and potential predators will be investigated to inform the development of potential bio-control programmes. Transcriptome analysis of Culex pipiens will be undertaken at the Wellcome Centre for Molecular Parasitology (University of Glasgow). The molecular basis of changes that occur in the midgut during ageing will be compared at different timepoints in the mosquito's lifespan. Further, the impact of infection with virus at different points in the mosquito's lifespan will be investigated. This work is of high importance, particularly given the lack of research and surveillance of mosquito populations in Northern Ireland. With problems such as climate change and introduced species/disease, building knowledge of existing vectors in the UK is vital, as is the need for regular comprehensive surveillance. "