Preventing Malaria Transmission via Mosquito Sensory Damage/Disorientation

Optical information, temperature gradients, trace gases and volatile odors are key sensory inputs for mosquitoes. To mitigate the transmission of malaria, Szabolcs Marka of Columbia University in the U.S. will research how optical irradiation might be used to physically disrupt mosquitoes' sensory systems such that they can't find human hosts. This project's Phase I research demonstrated that insects are repelled or change their flight behavior in response to different infrared light gradients. In Phase II, Marka's team will build on this research to design a prototype device that can deter insect vectors from human hosts.