How temperature changes affect mosquito-borne viruses
Arbovirus population biology: temperature impacts on selection and collective dynamics
This research looks at how warmer and changing temperatures alter the diversity and behavior of mosquito-borne viruses that can infect people.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Colorado State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Fort Collins, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11163565 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Scientists will infect mosquitoes with mosquito-borne viruses and keep them at different constant and fluctuating temperatures to see which virus types survive and how population bottlenecks change. They will use genetic sequencing to read how diverse the virus populations are under each temperature condition. The team will also test whether virus particles group together and whether that grouping helps viruses keep genetic diversity when moving between hosts. The work is done in laboratory mosquito infections and virus analyses to better mimic real-world temperature patterns.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This grant is laboratory-based and does not enroll patients; it focuses on mosquitoes and viruses in a research lab rather than recruiting people.
Not a fit: People who are currently sick with a mosquito-borne virus would not receive direct treatment or experimental therapy from this project because it is not a clinical trial.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could improve predictions of where and when mosquito-borne virus outbreaks are more likely as temperatures change, helping public health planning.
How similar studies have performed: Earlier studies show temperature can change mosquito infection and transmission rates, but applying detailed genetic sequencing across realistic temperature patterns and testing particle aggregation is a newer, more detailed approach.
Where this research is happening
Fort Collins, United States
- Colorado State University — Fort Collins, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ebel, Gregory David — Colorado State University
- Study coordinator: Ebel, Gregory David
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.