Innovating Works

LeVec

Financiado
Molecular characterization of insecticide resistance and transmission competence...
Molecular characterization of insecticide resistance and transmission competence in sand flies, major vectors of leismaniasis Leishmania, transmitted by sand flies, comes second only to malaria in terms of parasitic causative fatalities globally. Tunisia, as well as the Mediterranean region are endemic for the disease, reporting hundreds of cases annuall... Leishmania, transmitted by sand flies, comes second only to malaria in terms of parasitic causative fatalities globally. Tunisia, as well as the Mediterranean region are endemic for the disease, reporting hundreds of cases annually. In the absence of human vaccines, controlling the population size of sand flies using insecticides is a key component of leishmaniasis control efforts. Nevertheless, the reliance on insecticides has triggered the selection of resistance, which is threatening the efficacy of sand fly vector control programs. The molecular aetiology behind the insecticide resistance status of sand flies, unlike other insect vectors, remains largely unknown. The aim of LeVec is to unravel the mechanisms that underpin resistance to pyrethroid insecticides in sand fly populations, collected in Tunisia. I will use comparative transcriptomic analysis to identify genes differentially expressed in resistant individuals and functionally validate their role using state of the art in vitro (biochemical assays) and in vivo (transgenesis and CRISPR genome editing) approaches. The outcomes will substantially improve our ability to track the phenomenon of sand fly resistance in the field and design mitigation strategies. Furthermore, LeVec aims to identify genes that determine the ability of sand flies to transmit the Leishmania parasites. For that I will focus on the sand fly’s midgut, the site where the complete development of the Leishmania parasites takes place, and perform comparative expression analysis, using a unique collection of 12 sand fly species with different degrees of vector competence. Silencing of candidate genes followed by experimental infections will allow me to validate their role in Leishmania transmission. The outcomes of this analysis will help the design of novel Leishmania control tools, based on disrupting the adherence and/or development of parasites within the sand fly vector. ver más
30/04/2026
FOUNDATION FOR RES...
153K€
Perfil tecnológico estimado
Duración del proyecto: 24 meses Fecha Inicio: 2024-04-18
Fecha Fin: 2026-04-30

Línea de financiación: concedida

El organismo HORIZON EUROPE notifico la concesión del proyecto el día 2024-04-18
Línea de financiación objetivo El proyecto se financió a través de la siguiente ayuda:
HORIZON-MSCA-2023-PF-01-01: MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2023
Cerrada hace 1 año
Presupuesto El presupuesto total del proyecto asciende a 153K€
Líder del proyecto
IDRYMA TECHNOLOGIAS KAI EREVNAS No se ha especificado una descripción o un objeto social para esta compañía.
Perfil tecnológico TRL 4-5