Understanding mosquito behaviour to reduce disease transmission
“Due to climate change and human activity, disease transmission and the spread of invasive mosquito species across Europe pose a significant health risk to both people and animals”, says Rohan Menon, new PhD at the Department of Plant Protection Biology.
Who are you? Could you give a short presentation of yourself and your research area?
“I am a chemical ecologist who studies a particular species of disease carrying-mosquito found in Europe known as Culex pipiens. My work focuses on understanding why this mosquito prefers to bite either humans or birds, and how this host preference may impact disease transmission in Europe.”
How does your research align with the One Health concept, and in what ways can it contribute to a more sustainable and socially impactful world?
“By focusing on disease-vectoring mosquitoes, my work ties into the disease transmission aspects of the One Health concept. Due to climate change and human activity, disease transmission and the spread of invasive mosquito species across Europe pose a significant health risk to both people and animals. My research provides novel information regarding the behaviour of Culex pipiens mosquitoes, with the goal of reducing disease transmission and promoting better public health policies both in Sweden and across Europe.”
What are your plans now after your PhD?
“After my PhD, I plan on continuing within academia as a post doc to continue my work on disease vectors and disease transmission. Aside from the research, I also plan on getting more teaching and mentorship experience to help strengthen my skills as an early-career researcher. But for now, I plan on catching up on some much-needed sleep.”
Links
Rohan Menon's doctoral thesis