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  April 17, 2006
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campus newS

Mutant-mosquito scientist will close global diseases lecture series
By Sherrie R. Whaley
swhaley@uga.edu
Scientist Tony James calls mosquitoes “the world’s most dangerous animal.”

The molecular biologist believes so strongly in the lethal power of these common pests that he has devoted his career to creating mosquito mutants incapable of spreading certain vector-borne infectious diseases.

Tony James
James will share an account of his progress on April 18 as the final speaker in this year’s “Global Diseases: Voices from the Vanguard” lecture series. His lecture, “Victims, Vectors and Vaccines,” will take place at 6 p.m. in the Chapel. It is open to the public.

An internationally known expert, James blames mosquitoes for killing millions by delivering pathogens responsible for traditional threats such as malaria, dengue and yellow fevers, and for spreading new threats such as West Nile virus.

James is professor of microbiology and molecular genetics in the School of Medicine at the University of California, Irvin and professor of molecular biology and biochemistry in UCI’s School of Biological Sciences.

James and his team investigate many facets of vector-parasite interactions, mosquito molecular biology and other problems in insect developmental biology. His current work focuses on using genetic and molecular genetic tools to interrupt parasite transmission by mosquitoes. His lab also has identified and isolated mosquito genes that encode salivary proteins that dilate blood vessels and keep blood flowing while the insect feeds on its host and injects disease-causing pathogens at the same time.

Michael Strand, Distinguished Research Professor in UGA’s Department of Entomology and the Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, is excited about these developments.

“Tony is leading a cutting edge effort to develop novel strategies for control of important insect-transmitted diseases like dengue fever by reducing the ability of the pathogen to develop in mosquitoes,” he says. “He has also assembled an outstanding international team of scientists to evaluate the ecological impacts of using genetically modified vectors for disease control.”

James’s research group is the first to develop methods for introducing novel genes into mosquitoes, and recently he has been able to engineer single-chain antibodies that interfere with malaria parasite development in the insects. He is collaborating with other researchers to develop ways to prevent dengue virus transmission. 

“His team is employing cutting edge molecular genetic methods developed in the laboratory and applying them to realistic field settings,” says Strand. “Together with involvement of institutes and officials in Brazil and Thailand, Dr. James’s group is taking a very inclusive and positive approach to implementing a completely novel method for breaking the cycle of disease transmission.”
 


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