Tracking the invasive urban mosquito Anopheles stephensi in Ethiopia
Official title: Vector Biology of Invasive Anopheles stephensi in Rural to Urban Landscapes in Ethiopia
Funded at University of California-Irvine · NIH-11515810 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are finding how a new urban mosquito spreads across Ethiopian towns and cities to help protect people from malaria.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California-Irvine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Irvine, United States) |
| Project start | April 15, 2017 |
| Project end | March 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $43,200 |
| NIH project number | 3U19AI129326-10S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11515810 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults living in urban, peri-urban, or nearby rural communities in Ethiopia where An. stephensi has been found, especially those willing to host traps or share local information, would be the ideal participants.
✕Less likely to help
People who live outside the regions where An. stephensi is present or in countries without this invasive mosquito are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
What this research studies
From your perspective, field teams will place mosquito traps and inspect common breeding sites in rural, peri-urban, and urban neighborhoods to see where An. stephensi is living and breeding. They will use genetic testing of captured mosquitoes and lab tests to learn how populations are related and whether the mosquitoes carry malaria parasites. Teams will also pilot and compare different surveillance tools and control methods in community settings and collect local information about housing, water storage, and human–mosquito contact. The goal is to map spread patterns and identify practical ways to detect and limit this mosquito in towns and cities.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could improve city-level mosquito tracking and control and lower malaria risk for people living in affected areas.
How similar studies have gone: Similar surveillance and genetic approaches have clarified An. stephensi biology in South Asia, but applying them to the mosquito's recent spread in Africa is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
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University of California-Irvine
Irvine, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yewhalaw, Delenasaw — University of California-Irvine
- Study coordinator: Yewhalaw, Delenasaw
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.