The effect of temperature on Lutzomyia sand flies and transmission of American leishmaniasis
Supervisors
Dr Marta Shocket, Lancaster University
Prof Gordon Hamilton, Lancaster University
Dr David Ewing, Hutton
Summary
Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by eukaryotic Leishmania spp. parasites that are transmitted by sand flies. Like all vector-borne-diseases, transmission is extremely temperature-sensitive and therefore is expected to be impacted by ongoing and future climate change. We are looking for a PhD student who will help advance our understanding of how temperature drives population dynamics of Lutzomyia sand flies and their transmission of Leishmania parasites using a combination of lab experiments and mathematical modelling.
The student will collect experimental data on life history traits of Lutzomyia longipalpis sand flies at different temperatures and use these data to build models for sand fly population dynamics and transmission of Leishmania parasites. Ideal candidates will have a background in experimental biology, a strong interest in public health or infectious disease biology/ecology, and an interest in learning mathematical modelling. The student will be primarily based at Lancaster University, with a co-supervisor located at Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland (James Hutton Institute).