DrDina Vlachou

My research centers on unraveling the complexities of malaria transmission biology. Malaria, caused by the Plasmodium protozoan parasite, is transmitted from human to human via Anopheles mosquitoes. Within the mosquito vector, malaria parasites face major challenges, particularly as they traverse the mosquito midgut facing robust mosquito immune responses. Our investigations have revealed intricate host-parasite interactions and identified key roles of specific parasite proteins in conferring resistance against these immune responses.

Research focus:

 1. Mechanisms of malaria parasite sexual and sporogonic development: Unraveling the intricate mechanisms that underpin parasite development within the mosquito and functionally characterizing the key regulators of these developmental processes.

2. Plasmodium immune evasion mechanisms of the mosquito complement: Molecular interplay between the malaria parasite and mosquito host:

We investigate the reciprocal interactions between Plasmodium and its mosquito host, focusing on parasite molecules that mediate immune evasion and mosquito complement-like responses that restrict infection. By characterizing both parasite strategies and mosquito defenses, we aim to uncover mechanisms shaping transmission success and identify potential targets for novel malaria interventions.

3. Malaria transmission blocking interventions: Identifying novel targets within both the parasite and mosquito in order to advance strategies for blocking malaria transmission. My current focus is on generating mosquitoes capable of expressing anti-Plasmodial effectors. These engineered effectors will then be disseminated in mosquito populations using gene drive mechanisms.

Funds
Co-Investigator and Lead Scientist in r Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation program Transmission Zero: Achieving Field Readiness (INV-058071; 01/2024-12/2026), Total value: $15,287,967.
Lead Scientist in Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation program Transmission Zero – testing anti-P. falciparum effectors in the field (INV-002657; 06/2020-12/2023), Total value: $4,597,266.
Co-Investigator in Medical Research Council (MRC) Research Grant Investigation of the impact of the mosquito immune system on shaping the transmitted malaria parasite populations (79729/20; 01/2021-12/2023), Total value: £783,382.
Lead Scientist in Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation program Transmission Zero – Enabling the testing of transmission blocking traits of transgenic mosquitoes in Tanzania, (OPP1158151 Supplement, 1/2019-5/2020), Total Value: $949,372.
Lead Scientist in Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation program Transmission Zero – Engineering, evaluation and drive of antimalarial population replacement traits in the mosquito Anopheles gambiae (OPP1158151, 12/2016-5/2020, Total value: $2,802,970.
Scientific Coordinator and lead researcher in Wellcome Trust SIA: 107983/Z/15/Z: Anopheles-Plasmodium interactions: mosquito immune response and parasite immune evasion strategies (11/2015-10/2021), Total value: £1,477,433.
Co-Investigator of MSCA European Joint Doctorate Programme: High Performance Computing in Life Sciences, Engineering and Physics (HPC-LEAP; 10/2015-9/2019).
Joint grant holder and co-Investigator of the Wellcome Trust Project 093587Z/10/Z: Functional and population genomics of the Anopheles innate immune system and its interactions with malaria parasites (12/2010-7/2015). Total value of support: £1,000,000.
Co-Investigator and Work Package Leader of FP7 Collaborative Project HEALTH-F3-2008-223736: TransMalariaBloc-Malaria Transmission Blocking by Vaccines, Drugs and Immune Mosquitoes: efficacy assessment and targets (12/2008-5/2013). Total value: £2,818,000.
Co-Investigator of the National Institutes of Health (NHI) grant P01 AI044220-07: Innate immunity in vertebrates and insects (2005-2009)