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| Center
of Excellence for Vectors and Vector-Borne
Diseases |
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| Website
: http://www.cvvd.sc.mahidol.ac.th |
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FOCAL
AREAS OF RESEARCH
- Basic research
on vectors and pathogens:
Basic research in this area involves
the study of strain diversity and coevolution
of vectors, pathogens and symbiotic
microbes that have potential for use
in future genetic control programs.
Such study will provide baseline data
for future application of genetic engineering
technologies to natural vector populations.
Other baseline research on vectors and
vector-borne pathogens include drug
resistance, insecticide resistance,
disease prevalence, pathogenesis and
immunogenesis as well as postgenomic
analysis of disease vectors and pathogens..
- Invention
and evaluation of vector control methodologies:
This area of research ranges from the
development of appropriate technologies
at the community level to molecular-based
technologies for use in future vector
control approaches. The goal of research
is to improve current community-based
vector control technologies as well
as to apply advanced molecular technologies
such as genetic engineering to decrease
the ability of disease vectors in transmitting
pathogens to humans. Current molecular
research aims to develop a system to
express foreign genes in disease vectors
and to develop a system to deliver these
genetically engineered vectors into
natural vector populations. Available
biological control technologies are
being investigated both in the laboratory
and in the field.
Major
Ongoing Research Projects
- Molecular
ecology of malarial parasites and their
vectors:
This project aims to investigate the
molecular ecology, population structure
and epidemiology of malarial parasites
and their Anopheles mosquito vectors
in different areas of Thailand bordering
Cambodia and Myanmar. Cloning and sequencing
of microsatellites and antigen loci
of Plasmodium parasites and the development
of microsatellite markers for Anopheles
vectors are being conducted. Data will
be used to determine population structure
and coevolution of these parasites and
their hosts.
- Monitoring
of insecticide resistance and mapping
of malaria vectors:
: A monitoring system is being set up
to detect the early development of insecticide
resistance. We are developing molecular
and biochemical tests to explore the
resistance mechanism involved. A Geographic
Information System (GIS) on vector distribution
and insecticide resistance and a model
to predict vector distributions and
associations with environmental factors
are being developed. This will be a
practical tool to delineate malaria
risk areas and, thus, improve the targeting
of vector control and the assessment
of vector resistance status.
- Postgenomic
analysis of malaria parasites:
Diagnosis of malaria is generally done
by examination of Giemsa's stained thick
and thin films of peripheral blood smear
under microscope. However, malaria may
be misdiagnosed as its clinical symptoms
could be confused with a number of other
diseases. The advance in DNA technology
has resulted in development a more precise
diagnosis based on PCR technology. The
availability of genome sequence information
in Plasmodium falciparum has provided
foundation for future studies of this
organism, with the ultimate goals to
identify new important compounds for
antimalarial drugs and potential targets
for vaccine.
- Mechanism
of antimalarial drug resistance:
There are only a limited number of drugs
which are still effective and can be
used to treat malaria. The most widely
used drugs are quinine and its derivatives
and the antifolate combination drugs.
Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine (SP) combination
is considered to be another first-line
antimalarial drug in several countries
where chloroquine resistant falciparum
is widespread. Unfortunately, SP is
particularly prone to rapid emergence
of resistance. Recently, a new anti-malarial
drug called artemisinin has been developed
using an extract of the Artmisinin annua
herb long used in China to treat malaria.
Artemisinin is now being used as a front-line
treatment in Southeast Asia and South
America where resistance to all the
other drugs is prevalent. Our major
goal is to study the mechanism of drug
resistance in these antimalarial drugs.
- Development
of a dengue vector control and surveillance
system:
: This project aims to develop a cost-effective
dengue vector control model for rural
communities. We hypothesize that suppression
of dengue vectors at foci within a village
and in schools will effectively reduce
dengue transmission throughout the community.
The identification of foci involves
an integration of serosurvey and spatial
GIS mapping of the study area. The vector
control methodologies are an environmental-friendly,
integrated, community-based approaches.
The success of our vector control effort
is measured by comparing both entomological
and serological parameters. In addition,
prediction of dengue risk areas using
GIS and remote sensing is being conducted.
- Characterization
and genetic engineering of densoviruses
for vector control:
Surveying for novel strains of densoviruses
in different mosquito species, mainly
of the genera Aedes, Anopheles and Culex,
is currently conducted. Densoviruses
found in different mosquito species
are isolated and characterized. Complete
genome sequencing of these viruses is
currently carried out. Infectivity and
vertical transmission of these densoviruses
are being investigated in mosquito vectors
in order to map the genes responsible
for virulence, infectivity, vertical
transmission and other viral properties.
The ultimate goal of this project is
to genetically engineer densoviruses
to express transmission-blocking genes
in mosquito vectors.
- Biology of
Wolbachia symbionts and potential application
in genetic control:
The intracellular, maternally-inherited
Wolbachia bacteria have been proposed
as a means to spread desirable genes
into natural vector populations. Our
project aims at studying strain diversity
and various effects of Wolbachia bacteria
in their arthropod hosts. The dynamics
of Wolbachia infection and the reproductive
effect, called cytoplasmic incompatibility,
that these bacteria cause in their natural
and transinfected mosquito hosts will
be investigated to determine the potential
application of Wolbachia to vector control.
Crustacean-infecting Wolbachia strains
are known to cause feminization of genetic
male hosts and this property may be
useful for cost-effective mass-culturing
of commercial or beneficial crustaceans.
We will attempt to use this feminizing
property of Wolbachia for mass-rearing
copepods, which are predators of mosquito
larvae, for biological control.
- Molecular
ecology of ticks and chigger mites and
their associated pathogens:
This project aims to determine the spatial
distribution and genetic variation of
ticks and chigger mites as well as the
pathogens transmitted by them. PCR-screening
for tick-borne and mite-borne rickettsiae
and viruses are currently conducted
using various specific primer sets.
PCR products of novel positive samples
will be cloned and sequenced and the
phylogenetic relations among pathogens
will be determined. Isolation of pathogens
will be attempted in order to confirm
infection.
- Characterization
of dengue virus 5'NCR variants:
Our project aims to gain the better
and more basic molecular information
of dengue viruses and to pave the way
for the improvement of dengue vaccine
development. We have constructed mutant
cDNA clones at the 5'NCR of dengue-2
(16681) using molecular genetic engineering
approach. The cDNA derived viruses are
characterized in vitro cell culture
and in vivo studied in mouse as well
as in the dengue mosquito vector, Aedes
aegypti. Evaluation for the stability
and vertical transmission of the variant
viruses will be performed in the mosquitoes.
In addition, the viral transcription
and translation will be analyzed. The
final goal is to select the best candidate
virus that has a high potential for
the future vaccine development against
dengue virus.
- Pathogenesis
and immunogenesis of dengue viruses:
Dengue virus infection triggers several
intracellular signaling alterations
which involved in pathogenesis of dengue
hemorrhagic fever or dengue shock syndrome
(DHF/DSS). Our studies involve the factors
induced by dengue virus infection in
human dendritic cells and the pathogenicity
of dengue virus in endothelial cells.
We emphasize on the significance and
association among the intracellular
signaling proteins and their pathways
that induce DHF/DSS.
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| CONTACT ADDRESS
:
Center for Vectors and Vector-Borne
Diseases
Chalermprakiat Building, Floor 5
Faculty of Science, Mahidol University
Rama VI Road, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Tel : (66)-02-201-5922
Fax : (66)-02-201-5923
Center for Vectors and Vector-Borne
Diseases
SC2 Building, Room SC2, 2nd Floor
Salaya Campus
999 Phuttamonthon 4 Road, Salaya,
Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand
Tel : (66)-02-441-9816-20
ext. 1180 Fax : (66)-02-441-0227
E-mail : grpkt@mahidol.ac.th
Website : http://www.cvvd.sc.mahidol.ac.th
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Last modified:9-Dec-2008
© 2008 Faculty of Science, Mahidol University
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272 Rama VI Road,
Ratchathewi District, Bangkok 10400, THAILAND
Tel: +66 2201-5007 Fax: +66 2354-7165
Webmaster : scwww@mahidol.ac.th |
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