Marta Andrés de Miguel Principal Investigator
I am interested in studying fundamental aspects of the sensory biology of disease-transmitting mosquitoes than can be exploited to develop better mosquito control tools. I am an ATRAE awardee in the Animal Health Research Centre (CISA), at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC).
I did my PhD at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (Spain) with Inmaculada Canal and Laura Torroja investigating the development of sensory organs Drosophila. I then joined the lab of Martin Goepfert at the University of Goettingen (Germany) as a postdoc to study the auditory system of disease-transmitting mosquitoes. I also worked as a research fellow in the Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology under the supervision of Walter Haas at the Robert Koch Institute in Germany to implement a molecular surveillance system for tuberculosis control. In 2017, I joined the lab of Joerg Albert at UCL as a Marie Curie fellow to investigate the biophysics of the malaria mosquito ear. In 2019, I was awarded a UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship to establish my lab at University College London (UCL). I recently moved to the Spanish National Research Council, and hold an Honorary Appointment as Associate Professor at UCL.
Javier Arranz Postdoc
I am a postdoctoral researcher with a background in microbiology, bioinformatics, and infectious disease research. I obtained my PhD in Biomedical Sciences at Universidad San Pablo CEU (Madrid, Spain), where I investigated the interactions between influenza virus infection and bacterial coinfections. My expertise includes genomic analysis, microbial ecology, and the development of computational pipelines to study host–pathogen interactions.
I recently joined the Neuromosquitolab at the Animal Health Research Centre (CISA, INIA-CSIC) as a postdoctoral researcher. Here, I apply bioinformatics approaches to study the sensory biology of disease-transmitting mosquitoes, aiming to integrate molecular and computational insights to better understand their auditory and nervous systems.
Bruno Gomes Postdoc
As a biologist, I am interested in exploring topics related to the physiology and evolutionary biology of insects, particularly when these themes impact animal and human health. I have extensive knowledge of vector-borne diseases and research experience with various species of mosquito, such as Culex pipiens s.l., Anopheles gambiae s.l., Aedes aegypti, as well as phlebotomines (e.g. Phlebotomus argentipes and Lutzomyia longipalpis), the triatomine Rhodnius prolixus and the Drosophila melanogaster as non-target organism. I completed my PhD in the ecology and genetics of the mosquito Culex pipiens at the Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT, Portugal) in 2013. Since then, I have broadened my scientific experience to include molecular studies of insect digestion and insecticide resistance, as well as translational research aimed at developing new applications and tools for vector control, surveillance, and education in institutions in Brazil, the United Kingdom, and Portugal.
I am currently working in Marta Andres' laboratory at the Animal Health Research Centre (CISA-INIA) of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), focusing on the physiology and behaviour associated with mosquito hearing. I am also interested in public engagement activities and in bridging the gap between art and science.
Clemens Rauer Postdoc
I am interested in finding novel chemical compounds that can inhibit the auditory function in disease-transmitting mosquitoes. Using both chemoinformatics and bioinformatics tools our goal is to better understand the auditory system of mosquitoes and to be able to efficiently and selectively disrupt it.
I did my PhD in theoretical chemistry at the University of Vienna, studying DNA photolesions using ab-initio molecular dynamics. After my PhD I worked in research groups in Germany, the UK and Spain where I deepened my knowledge of computational chemistry and gained experience in bioinformatics and machine learning.
Mario Pio Marrello Insectary technician
I am an insectary technician with a background in biotechnology and vector biology. I obtained my Master’s degree in Medical Biotechnological Sciences from the University of Perugia (Italy), where I developed core molecular biology skills. Driven by a strong interest in infectious diseases, I focused on vector-borne diseases, gained hands-on experience in rearing multiple mosquito species, and explored strategies for vector control.
I am currently part of the Mosquito Molecular Neuroscience Lab at the Animal Health Research Centre (CISA-INIA-CSIC) as insectary manager and research assistant in projects investigating mosquito physiology and behaviour related to hearing and mating.
Arjola (Lola) Leka Laboratory technician
I am a researcher with a background in Animal Science and a Master’s degree in Zoonoses and One Health. My experience includes virology, molecular biology, and vector-borne diseases, with work on arbovirus surveillance, molecular diagnostics, and bioinformatics.
I am currently part of the Mosquito Molecular Neuroscience Lab at the Animal Health Research Centre (CISA-INIA-CSIC) as laboratory technician and research assistant in projects investigating mosquito physiology and behaviour related to hearing and mating.
Menja Visiting Researcher
I am a researcher from the medical Entomology unit at the Institut Pasteur de Madagascar, with a background in biology and molecular biochemistry and a Master's degree in Biochemistry, Biodiversity and Health from the University of Antananarivo, Madagascar. My research experience focuses on medical entomology, molecular biology, and vector-borne diseases, with particular interest in mosquito - host interactions and arbovirus surveillance. During my Master's research at the Institut Pasteur de Madagascar, I investigated mosquito-host interactions, with a particular focus on mosquitoes attracted to and feeding on dogs and their potential role in Rift Valley fever virus transmission.
I am currently undertaking a research visit at the Mosquito Molecular Neuroscience Lab at the Animal Health Research Centre (CISA-INIA-CSIC) in Alcalá de Henares, Spain. My current work focuses on mosquito mating behaviour and acoustic communication, including swarming behaviour and wing-beat frequency.
ursula@pasteur.mg or ursulamenja33@gmail.com
Institut Pasteur de Madagascar
Claire SANGBA-KEMBI NGOUNOU Visiting Researcher
I am interested in the ecology, behaviour and control of malaria and arbovirus vectors, with a particular focus on how insecticide resistance, urbanisation and climate change shape mosquito populations and disease transmission. I am a researcher in Medical Entomology at the Institut Pasteur de Bangui (IPB), in the Central African Republic, where I serve as Deputy Head of the Medical Entomology Laboratory.
I did my PhD in Biomedical Sciences at the Regional Doctoral School of Central Africa in Tropical Infectiology (Gabon), investigating the biting behaviour and chromosomal inversion 2La in Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles coluzzii in Bangui. I have trained in medical entomology and One Health at the Institut Pasteur in Paris, in malaria field epidemiology in Tanzania, in mosquito molecular neuroscience at the UCL Ear Institute in London, and in vector control reference methods at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) in Johannesburg.
I am currently a Visiting Researcher in Marta Andres' laboratory at the Animal Health Research Centre (CISA-INIA) of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), working on the development of mating disruptors for the control of disease-transmitting mosquito vectors.
claire.sangba-kembi@pasteur-bangui.cf or clairesangbakembi@gmail.com
Institut Pasteur de Bangui, BP 923, Bangui, Central African Republic
Yvon Gildas GONETOMY Visiting Researcher
I am interested in the field and laboratory aspects of medical entomology, particularly the sampling, identification and molecular characterisation of mosquito vectors of malaria and arboviruses. I am a biochemist and laboratory technician at the Institut Pasteur de Bangui (IPB), in the Central African Republic, within the Medical Entomology Laboratory.
I hold a Master's in Applied Biochemistry from the University of Bangui and a University Diploma on Vector Insects and Pathogen Transmission from the Institut Pasteur in Paris. I have also trained in Next-Generation Sequencing and Bioinformatics at the Mérieux Foundation, and in Biological Risk Management at the IPB.
Since 2019, I have been working as a technician at the Medical Entomology Laboratory. I have participated in several field missions for research projects on malaria and arbovirus vectors, as well as entomological investigations for the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization during yellow fever, Rift Valley fever and dengue outbreaks.
I am currently a Visiting Researcher in Marta Andres' laboratory at the Animal Health Research Centre (CISA-INIA) of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), working on the development of mating disruptors for the control of disease-transmitting mosquito vectors.
gyvongildas@yahoo.fr or gildas.gonetomy@pasteur-bangui.cf
Institut Pasteur de Bangui, BP 923, Bangui, Central African Republic
Alumni
Elizabeth Morris, 2021- 2026, recently graduated from the PhD
David Ellis, 2019- 2024, currently a MSCA Global fellow at Cornell University, USA
Anya Suppermpool, 2023- 2024, currently a WT Early Career Award at UCL, UK
Judy Bagi, 2023-2024, currently insectary manager at UCL, UK
Scott Tytheridge, currently graduate student at Imperial College London, UK
Eve Doran, currently technician at UCL, UK