SRA Brett Morgan and Postdoc Shreena Pradhan recently returned from fieldwork in São Tomé and Príncipe, where they contributed to two complementary projects on Anopheles coluzzii. One project investigated how this malaria vector tolerates saline environments, with larvae collected from various sites spanning fresh to brackish waters and tested in the lab for salt stress responses, alongside RNA sequencing to identify genes involved in salinity tolerance.
A new study from our lab and collaborators, published in Malaria Journal, examines the breeding ecology of Anopheles coluzzii, the primary malaria vector on São Tomé. Monitoring 32 aquatic habitats in Bairro Verde across wet and dry seasons (2023–2024), the team found that this species utilizes a wide range of temporary and permanent water bodies and tolerates diverse environmental conditions.
Greg Lanzaro and Ana Kormos recently attended the Mosquito Kolymbari Meeting, held August 1–7, 2026 in Kolymbari, Crete, Greece. This meeting brings together researchers from around the world to share advances in mosquito biology and vector-borne disease research in a highly interactive, discussion-focused setting. During the meeting, Greg presented his talk, “Evaluation of population modification using gene drive,” as part of the session on genetic approaches to vector control .
VGL staff researcher Claire Egan and postdoctoral scholar Alan Juache recently returned from a four-week fieldwork trip to São Tomé and Príncipe where they completed fieldwork for UCMI as part of ongoing environmental studies.
Postdoctoral Fellow – Population Genomics Informatics Location: Vector Genetics Laboratory (VGL), University of California, Davis / Davis, CA / USA Duration: 2 years with possibility of extension Start Date: July 2026 Application Review: Rolling until filled
The project’s Annual Meeting was held last Friday at Hotel Winters, hosted by the Vector Genetics lab at University of California, Davis, marking the first time the meeting has been hosted by UC Davis. Principal investigators from partner institutions—including Greg Lanzaro (UC Davis), Anthony James (UC Irvine), Ethan Bier (UC San Diego), and George Dimopoulos (Johns Hopkins University)—provided updates on their research and ongoing project activities.
Congratulations to the 2025-26 undergraduate researchers of the Vector Genetics Lab for their participation in the UC Davis Undergraduate Research, Scholarship & Creative Activities Conference, held April 24–25, 2026.
Over the course of the academic year, these students have contributed to ongoing research efforts in the lab, culminating in poster and oral presentations at this annual campus-wide event. Their work reflects a strong commitment to scientific inquiry and collaboration.
