Seminar: Using inherited bacteria as a way to stop mosquitoes from transmitting dengue: The Eliminate Dengue Program?
Event Details
- Date:
- Wednesday, 26 March 2014
- Time:
- 4:00 pm - 6:30 pm
- Room:
- Auditorium
- UQ Location:
- Queensland Brain Institute (St Lucia)
- URL:
- http://scmb.uq.edu.au/calendar/?month=03&year=2014#event_anchor_335
- Event category(s):
Event Contact
- Name:
- Monique Nevison
- Phone:
- 334 64129
- Email:
- m.nevison@uq.edu.au
- Org. Unit:
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre
Event Description
- Full Description:
- Dengue fever is an emerging insect-transmitted disease estimated to be infecting more than 380 million people each year. Currently there are no effective treatments beyond prevention measures targeting the main mosquito vector. Recent Phase II results from the leading vaccine candidate indicate that the development of an efficacious vaccine is still some years in the future. Our group is examining the potential use of inherited bacterial symbionts of insects known as Wolbachia as a novel method to interfere with dengue transmission. This work has now progressed from basic bench studies into open field trials in Australia, Vietnam and Indonesia. The seminar will give an overview of Wolbachia-mosquitio-pathogen interactions as well as the current status of the global eliminate dengue program that aims to deploy Wolbachia infections as a cost effective and sustainable approach to dengue control.
Scott O'Neill is Dean of Science at Monash University, Melbourne. His research is focused on the potential use of the bacterial symbiont Wolbachia to block transmission of dengue viruses by mosquitoes. His research group is also undertaking basic studies on the underlying mechanisms of symbiont-host-pathogen interactions. He leads the Eliminate Dengue program which is an international not-for-profit consortium currently field testing Wolbachia-based dengue interventions in four countries. This research is funded by multiple grants from the Australian government, the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health through the Grand Challenges in Global Health Initiative of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Jean and Julius Tahija Foundation and the Wellcome Trust.
Refreshments will be served at 5pm, following the seminar.
Directions to UQ
- Google Map:
-
- Directions:
- St Lucia Campus | Gatton campus.
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