How malaria mosquitoes smell people and why some are more attractive
Chemosensory Mechanisms Driving Malaria Transmission
This project looks for the specific body odors and skin microbes that make some people more attractive to malaria mosquitoes in Zambia.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11232321 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be asked to provide whole-body scent samples while sleeping in the Macha region of southern Zambia using a non-contact, exposure-free system that tracks mosquito attraction with infrared motion vision. Researchers will present those scent samples to live Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes in a multi-choice assay to rank which human odors attract mosquitoes most. They will chemically analyze airborne volatile compounds from each person and perform metagenomic sequencing of skin microbes to link specific chemicals and microbes to mosquito preference. The lab will combine chemical and microbiome data to identify scent signatures that may explain why some people draw more mosquito bites than others.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are residents of malaria-endemic areas such as the Macha region of southern Zambia who can provide whole-body scent samples while sleeping at the collection site.
Not a fit: People who live outside Anopheles gambiae transmission areas or who cannot provide sleep-time scent samples are unlikely to receive direct benefit from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to prevent mosquito bites and reduce malaria risk, such as targeted repellents or microbiome-based interventions.
How similar studies have performed: Previous work shows human body odor and skin microbes influence mosquito attraction and the team has a validated non-contact assay, but the precise chemical and microbiome signatures linked to malaria-transmission risk remain novel.
Where this research is happening
Baltimore, United States
- Johns Hopkins University — Baltimore, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mcmeniman, Conor James — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Mcmeniman, Conor James
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.