Tropical Infectious Disease Consortium: Expanding and Accelerating Product Development (LSTM P2D 2017)
Lead Research Organisation:
Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
Department Name: UNLISTED
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Technical Summary
The MRC Proximity to Discovery scheme awards universities funds to help develop new collaborations, and ways of exchanging knowledge and skills. The awards can be used to support activities that promote the value of academic-industry partnership, and enhance academic and industry researchers’ understanding of each other’s needs and capabilities. This may be through people exchanges, creation of technology demonstrators, showcase events, commercialisation workshops and ‘entrepreneurs in residence’ schemes. Such exchanges of knowledge and skills will boost the most fruitful collaborations between UK universities and life science companies.
Publications
Facchinelli L
(2023)
Biology and Behaviour of Aedes aegypti in the Human Environment: Opportunities for Vector Control of Arbovirus Transmission.
in Viruses
Harrison RA
(2019)
Outlining progress since the first International Snakebite Awareness Day and some key challenges for next year.
in Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Girish KS
(2019)
Research into the Causes of Venom-Induced Mortality and Morbidity Identifies New Therapeutic Opportunities.
in The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene
Chaisakul J
(2019)
Evaluation of the geographical utility of Eastern Russell's viper (Daboia siamensis) antivenom from Thailand and an assessment of its protective effects against venom-induced nephrotoxicity.
in PLoS neglected tropical diseases
Dadzie SK
(2022)
Building the capacity of West African countries in Aedes surveillance: inaugural meeting of the West African Aedes Surveillance Network (WAASuN).
in Parasites & vectors
Weetman D
(2018)
Aedes Mosquitoes and Aedes-Borne Arboviruses in Africa: Current and Future Threats.
in International journal of environmental research and public health
Albulescu LO
(2019)
A Decoy-Receptor Approach Using Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Mimics Reveals Their Potential as Novel Therapeutics Against Neurotoxic Snakebite.
in Frontiers in pharmacology
Ainsworth S
(2018)
The paraspecific neutralisation of snake venom induced coagulopathy by antivenoms.
in Communications biology
Bashford T
(2019)
Nuancing the need for speed: temporal health system strengthening in low-income countries.
in BMJ global health
| Description | Consultant advisor to the WHO Pre-Qualification Team (PQT) Vector Control |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Membership of a guideline committee |
| URL | https://www.who.int/pq-vector-control/about/en/ |
| Description | Exapnding Excellence in England 'Centre for Drugs and Diagnostics' |
| Amount | £9,843,478 (GBP) |
| Organisation | United Kingdom Research and Innovation |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 07/2024 |
| End | 07/2029 |
| Description | GHR |
| Amount | £2,498,575 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 16/137/114 |
| Organisation | National Institute of Health |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | Italy |
| Start | 03/2017 |
| End | 06/2021 |
| Description | Indoor behaviour maps to guide arbovirus vector control |
| Amount | £634,237 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | MR/T001267/1 |
| Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 11/2019 |
| End | 10/2023 |
| Description | Institutional Partnership Awards 'LSTM translational enabler' |
| Amount | £300,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Wellcome Trust |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2022 |
| End | 03/2023 |
| Description | Collaboration LSTM-IGO |
| Organisation | IGO |
| Country | Italy |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Our team provides the expertise in mosquito behaviour essential to test the biocides IGO produces. We make available our video tracking facility at Fiocruz Pernambuco, Brazil, to study the effects of IGO products on mosquito behaviour with the goals of understanding how volatile insecticides work. |
| Collaborator Contribution | IGO is specialised in the impregnation of different materials with slow-release perfumes and insecticides. They will provide us with transfluthrin and metofluthrin emanators impregnated with different active ingredients' concentrations and solvents. This will allow us understanding the effect of these volatile pyrethroids on mosquito behaviour and how emanators can be optimised to protect people indoor. Our goal is to translate to field trials in Recife, Brazil, our findings on Aedes aegypti behaviour and the optimisation of this technology. |
| Impact | The collaboration will start in October |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | Collaboration LSTM-INESFLY |
| Organisation | Inesfly Corporation |
| Country | Spain |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Our team provides the expertise in mosquito behaviour essential to test the insecticide paints produced by INESFLY. We make available our video tracking facility at Fiocruz Pernambuco, Brazil, to study the effects of carbamates and pro-insecticides on mosquito behaviour with the goals of optimising the Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) approach to control endophilic mosquitoes such as Ae. aegypti. Our results show that it is possible to kill ~90% of mosquitoes introduced in an experimental hut with only 12% of the walls treated with insecticides. Carbamates and Pro-insecticide can overcome insecticide resistance and therefore control mosquitoes resistant to pyrethroids. |
| Collaborator Contribution | INESFLY will provide its paints to the project needs. Paints will be tested in an experimental hut and in the video tracking facility, both located in Recife, Brazil. The goal is to demonstrate that we can target Ae. aegypti by applying the paints + insecticide to a small surface within a house where mosquitoes very often land and rest. We want translate to field trials in Recife, Brazil, our findings on Aedes aegypti resting behaviour and the optimisation of IRS application. |
| Impact | No outputs yet |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | LSTM-UNILEVER collaboration |
| Organisation | Unilever |
| Department | Unilever Research and Development |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | We provided a semi-field facility in Brazil and our expertise to study the behaviour of mosquito vectors in the presence of prototype mosquito control products produced by UNILEVER. |
| Collaborator Contribution | UNILEVER provided new vector control tools to be tested and put us in contact with a private company in Italy manufacturing volatile pyrethroids emanators. |
| Impact | In this collaboration we produced data that supported our following MRC grant application (MR/T001267/1) that was awarded in 2019. Thanks to UNILEVER we also started collaborating with IGO, an Italian SME biocides manufacturer.. |
| Start Year | 2018 |
| Description | TB Diagnostics in the Gambia |
| Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
| Department | MRC Unit, The Gambia |
| Country | Gambia |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | We have made considerable progress in identifying dominant Mtb-derived peptides (from >4000 Mtb proteins) identified by healthy volunteers, and those with active or asymptomatic TB in Brazil. Further investigations are warranted to validate the results in a different setting. We will take advantage of existing samples from well-defined TB cohorts in The Gambia and move forward with diagnostic development. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The MRCG has investigator-led projects that are supported by the combination of first-rate laboratory facilities and established access to field sites. Under the Vaccines and Immunity research theme, work at the MRCG will be led by Dr Jayne Sutherland, Head of the TB Research Group, comprising the TB case-contact (TBCC) study cohort and the TB Immunology laboratory. The TBCC platform affords a unique opportunity for multi-disciplinary research on TB and is administered in close partnership with the national TB program. The TB Immunology laboratory offers mechanistic understandings and biomarker innovations underpinning all clinical TB work at the MRCG, including characterising the roles of antibodies and B cells in TB immunity and developing new TB diagnostics. The availability of the TBCC plasma collection at the MRCG means that no additional clinical collection is needed for this project to proceed. |
| Impact | The project was delayed due to covid. The project is on-going. |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | Wind Tunnel repellency tests |
| Organisation | Sapienza University of Rome |
| Country | Italy |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We are testing the product OCCIDERE as a repellent against mosquito vector species. The bioassays are carried out at University of La Sapienza, Rome, in a wind tunnel facility equipped with a 3D video tracking system. |
| Collaborator Contribution | RS ECO World provides the testing item and technical expertise. University of Rome "La Sapienza" provides the wind tunnel and insectary facilities. |
| Impact | No output yet |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Invited presentation and working group. Aim-COST Aedes Invasive Mosquitoes. European Cooperation in Science and Technology |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
| Results and Impact | The AIM-COST Aedes Invasive Mosquitoes project, which was funded by the European Cooperation in Science and Technology, sought expertise on the Aedes aegypti mosquito. I was invited to give a talk on this invasive species and participate in working groups where we discussed the actions to be taken in case Ae. aegypti is found in a European country. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.aedescost.eu/ |
| Description | Meeting at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Meeting at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Participation in the Genetic Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases Workshop, November 2018, Philippines |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | This Workshop was held at the National Science Complex, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines, aimed at early career researchers from the UK and the Philippines. This Workshop will bring together global experts on the study of genomic epidemiology of infectious diseases, particularly those affecting the Philippines. The Workshops aims to promote collaborations that will enhance the use of tools in bioinformatics, population genetics and statistics in infectious disease research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | https://www.britishcouncil.ph/about/press/geid-omics-in-infectious-diseases |
| Description | Participation in the Genetic Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases Workshop, October 2018, Malaysia |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | This Workshop was held in Penang, Malaysia, and aimed at early career researchers from the UK and the Philippines. This Workshop will bring together global experts on the study of genomic epidemiology of infectious diseases, particularly those affecting the Philippines. The Workshops aims to promote collaborations that will enhance the use of tools in bioinformatics, population genetics and statistics in infectious disease research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Participation in the Research Symposium of the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, Philippines - December 2018 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Research symposium aimed at presenting new data/outputs for the staff of the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Participation in the WISE Kick-off Meeting, Nagasaki University, Japan - March 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | WISE kick-off meeting for the collaboration between LSHTM and Nagasaki University |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |