Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Francesco Baldini @baldini-francesco.bsky.social · Jul 7

New work by Joel Odero #IfakaraHealthInstitute @sbohvm.gla.ac.uk

Genomic evidence of spatially structured gene flow and divergent insecticide resistance backgrounds of the malaria vector Anopheles funestus in Tanzania

academic.oup.com/genetics/adv...

Genomic evidence of spatially structured gene flow and divergent insecticide resistance backgrounds of the malaria vector Anopheles funestus in Tanzania

Abstract. Population genetic analysis of mosquitoes is important for understanding the distribution of insecticide resistance alleles, devising sustainable

academic.oup.com

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Francesco Baldini @baldini-francesco.bsky.social · Jun 5

Rapid evaporative ionisation mass spectrometry can age field caught Anopheles gambiae malaria vectors
doi.org/10.1038/s415...

Rapid evaporative ionisation mass spectrometry can age field caught Anopheles gambiae malaria vectors - Scientific Reports

Scientific Reports - Rapid evaporative ionisation mass spectrometry can age field caught Anopheles gambiae malaria vectors

doi.org

1

Francesco Baldini @baldini-francesco.bsky.social · May 22

In vivo screen of Plasmodium targets for mosquito-based malaria control
doi.org/10.1038/s415...

In vivo screen of Plasmodium targets for mosquito-based malaria control - Nature

An in vivo screen of small-molecule compounds to inhibit the mosquito-stage development of Plasmodium identified hits that can be incorporated into bed nets and led to effective parasite killing in th...

doi.org

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Reposted by Francesco Baldini

Heather Ferguson @drheatherferg.bsky.social · May 21

First confirmation of #WestNileVirus in mosquitoes in the UK, in an Aedes species. Risk to public still very low, but highlights huge importance of having robust mosquito surveillance and response programmes in place.
@mosquitoscotland.bsky.social

submit.forms.service.gov.uk/form/3652/re...

Mosquito Scotland Project @mosquitoscotland.bsky.social · May 21

📢Breaking news - @ukhsa.bsky.social confirms 1st detection of #WestNileVirus particles in mosquitoes in the UK. This is a zoonotic virus that usually spreads in birds, but very occasionally infects people. Risk to UK public is extremely low, no detection in Scotland yet

www.gov.uk/government/n...

First detection of West Nile virus in UK mosquitoes

UKHSA says there is no evidence to suggest ongoing circulation of the virus in birds or mosquitos in the UK and the risk to the general public is very low

www.gov.uk

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Reposted by Francesco Baldini

The Global Vector Hub @globalvectorhub.bsky.social · May 21

🦟 First detection of #WestNile #virus in UK #Aedes vexans #mosquitoes

@ukhsa.bsky.social says there is no evidence to suggest ongoing circulation of the virus in birds or mosquitos in the UK and the risk to the general public is very low.

www.gov.uk/government/n...

First detection of West Nile virus in UK mosquitoes

UKHSA says there is no evidence to suggest ongoing circulation of the virus in birds or mosquitos in the UK and the risk to the general public is very low

www.gov.uk

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Francesco Baldini @baldini-francesco.bsky.social · May 12

Delayed mating in the malaria vector Anopheles funestus compared to Anopheles arabiensis
doi.org/10.1093/jme/...

Delayed mating in the malaria vector Anopheles funestus compared to Anopheles arabiensis (Diptera: Culicidae)

Abstract. Mating is a vital behavior for mosquito reproduction, yet it remains poorly understood under captive conditions. We examined the copulation dynam

doi.org

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Reposted by Francesco Baldini

Mosquito Scotland Project @mosquitoscotland.bsky.social · May 1

Delighted to have BBC feature our citizen science mosquito reporting project. Huge thx to members of the public who have got in touch since last year with sightings from all across Scotland. Great if we can keep it going this summer: report at www.mosquito-scotland.com

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Mosquitoes in Scotland as far north as Shetland

The extent of Scotland's mosquito population is being understood thanks to a successful citizen science project.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Francesco Baldini @baldini-francesco.bsky.social · Apr 28

New paper by #SophiaMwinyi:
Genomic Analysis Reveals a New Cryptic Taxon Within the Anopheles gambiae Complex With a Distinct Insecticide Resistance Profile in the Coast of East Africa
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Genomic Analysis Reveals a New Cryptic Taxon Within the Anopheles gambiae Complex With a Distinct Insecticide Resistance Profile in the Coast of East Africa

Anopheles mosquitoes are major malaria vectors, encompassing several species complexes with diverse life histories, transmission risks and insecticide resistance profiles that challenge malaria contr....

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

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Reposted by Francesco Baldini

The Global Vector Hub @globalvectorhub.bsky.social · Apr 28

Original research article "Genomic Analysis Reveals a New Cryptic Taxon Within the #Anopheles gambiae Complex With a Distinct Insecticide Resistance Profile in the Coast of East Africa" by Sophia H. Mwinyi et al.: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Genomic Analysis Reveals a New Cryptic Taxon Within the Anopheles gambiae Complex With a Distinct Insecticide Resistance Profile in the Coast of East Africa

Anopheles mosquitoes are major malaria vectors, encompassing several species complexes with diverse life histories, transmission risks and insecticide resistance profiles that challenge malaria contr...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

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Reposted by Francesco Baldini

The Global Vector Hub @globalvectorhub.bsky.social · Apr 28

🦟"New species of #mosquito identified on the coast of #EastAfrica" @sbohvm.gla.ac.uk @sangerinstitute.bsky.social @baldini-francesco.bsky.social @malariagen.bsky.social @phys.org.web.brid.gy
phys.org/news/2025-04...

New species of mosquito identified on the coast of East Africa

Scientists have discovered a previously unidentified species of mosquito along the coast of Kenya and Tanzania with potential implications for malaria surveillance and control.

phys.org

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Francesco Baldini @baldini-francesco.bsky.social · Apr 23

Great work by #SophiaMwinyi in collaboration with @malariagen.bsky.social & #IfakaraHealthInstitute

School of Biodiversity One Health and Veterinary Medicine @sbohvm.gla.ac.uk · Apr 23

New research from the Ifakara Health Institute, Prof Fedros Okumu and @baldini-francesco.bsky.social. New species of mosquito found on the Coast of East Africa

www.gla.ac.uk/colleges/mvl...

#mosquito #vectorbornedisease #malaria

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Reposted by Francesco Baldini

School of Biodiversity One Health and Veterinary Medicine @sbohvm.gla.ac.uk · Apr 23

New research from the Ifakara Health Institute, Prof Fedros Okumu and @baldini-francesco.bsky.social. New species of mosquito found on the Coast of East Africa

www.gla.ac.uk/colleges/mvl...

#mosquito #vectorbornedisease #malaria

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Francesco Baldini @baldini-francesco.bsky.social · Apr 9

One Health Vector-borne Diseases Symposium 2025
Organised by #FETPAFI, @sydney.edu.au @sbohvm.gla.ac.uk
Read more 👇
fetpafi.org/stories/stor...

One Health Vector-borne Diseases Symposium 2025

fetpafi.org

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Reposted by Francesco Baldini

Mosquito Scotland Project @mosquitoscotland.bsky.social · Apr 1

Good morning mosquito-scotlanders!
Exciting news as first Culex mosquito egg raft of the yr found in Glasgow- no fooling!
This along with ⬆️ of citizen science reports confirms mosquito season in Scotland is kicking off. If you live in Scotland, keep an eye out & report
www.mosquito-scotland.com

Picture of a Culex mosquito egg raft, found in an aquatic habitat in Glasgow. The egg raft is a black, tear-shaped mass, with slightly jagged edges (the 'jags' are individual eggs, with @50-150 together in one mass). Photo is taken against a white background.

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Francesco Baldini @baldini-francesco.bsky.social · Mar 31

Anopheles mosquito survival and pharmacokinetic modeling show the mosquitocidal activity of nitisinone
by @aacostaserrano.bsky.social & team

www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Anopheles mosquito survival and pharmacokinetic modeling show the mosquitocidal activity of nitisinone

Nitisinone reduces survival of the malaria-transmitting mosquito Anopheles gambiae by blocking tyrosine catabolism.

www.science.org

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Francesco Baldini @baldini-francesco.bsky.social · Mar 21

To mark #InternationalWomensDay, yesterday Prof @drheatherferg.bsky.social gave an inspiring talk about her career journey @sbohvm.gla.ac.uk #IfakaraHealthInstitute

I won’t even try to summarise it—words wouldn’t do it justice. You had to be there to truly understand. And luckily I was!

🙏 Heather!

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Francesco Baldini @baldini-francesco.bsky.social · Mar 13

🚨New paper by Mauro Pazmino-Betancourth & team @uofgengineering.bsky.social @uofgchem.bsky.social @sbohvm.gla.ac.uk

Towards Fast Quantum Cascade Laser Spectrometers for High-Throughput and Cost-Effective Disease Surveillance

www.mdpi.com/2813-446X/3/...

Towards Fast Quantum Cascade Laser Spectrometers for High-Throughput and Cost-Effective Disease Surveillance

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, coupled with machine learning (ML) analysis can be used for disease monitoring with high speed and accuracy, including the classification of mosquito sa...

www.mdpi.com

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Francesco Baldini @baldini-francesco.bsky.social · Feb 26

International research needs international research professionals by @maryraryan.bsky.social
www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/inter...

International research needs international research professionals

When researchers in poorer countries are expected to deliver programmes to the exacting standards of funders in the Global North, it makes international collaboration more difficult. Here, Mary Ryan c...

www.timeshighereducation.com

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Reposted by Francesco Baldini

Michael Walsh @epidoctor.bsky.social · Jan 27

New work out! With a great team led by Troy Laidlow and Viki Brookes. Pinging @mozziebites.bsky.social & @baldini-francesco.bsky.social: Scoping Review of Japanese Encephalitis Virus Transmission Models doi.org/10.1155/tbed...

Scoping Review of Japanese Encephalitis Virus Transmission Models

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) causes ~100,000 clinical cases and 25,000 deaths annually worldwide, mainly in Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific and mostly in children. JEV is transmitted to h...

doi.org

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Francesco Baldini @baldini-francesco.bsky.social · Jan 27

Scoping Review of Japanese Encephalitis Virus Transmission Models

New work by #TroyLaidlow #Sydney_Vet #DrVikiBrookes @uofgsbohvm.bsky.social

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1155/...

Scoping Review of Japanese Encephalitis Virus Transmission Models

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) causes ~100,000 clinical cases and 25,000 deaths annually worldwide, mainly in Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific and mostly in children. JEV is transmitted to h...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

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Francesco Baldini @baldini-francesco.bsky.social · Jan 23

New work by #JoelOdero & team!

Distinct Genetic Populations and Resistance Backgrounds of the Malaria Vector Anopheles funestus in Tanzania:
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

@uofgsbohvm.bsky.social #IfakaraHealthInstitute @malariagen.bsky.social

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Francesco Baldini @baldini-francesco.bsky.social · Jan 22

🥼🧹Lab clean up today!!!!
Great team work!!!
Thank you @ic-uribarri.bsky.social for coordination and everyone for the amazing help!
@uofgsbohvm.bsky.social #vectorsglasgow @mosquitoscotland.bsky.social

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Francesco Baldini @baldini-francesco.bsky.social · Jan 8

Interesting talk today at VectorGlasgow meeting @uofgsbohvm.bsky.social by @daniellaandrea.bsky.social on "Mosquito saliva, Wolbachia, Virus transmission and Mammalian skin".
Very novel and exciting findings!

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Francesco Baldini @baldini-francesco.bsky.social · Dec 16

😂

Salt Lake City Mosquito Abatement District @slcmad.bsky.social · Dec 16

In case any of you are still holiday shopping, take this warning into consideration.🦟

Credit: unknown (but if you know, please tag!)
#mosquitoes #bugnerd #entomologyhumor #insecthumor

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Reposted by Francesco Baldini

Heather Ferguson @drheatherferg.bsky.social · Dec 4

Many congratulations to Doctor Emmanuel Mwanga of #ifakarahealthinstitute who has just passed his PhD viva in @uofgsbohvm.bsky.social; with a great piece of research on the application of #machinelearning & #infraredspectroscopy for #malaria #vector surveillance. Hongera sana🇹🇿

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