I am a Research Fellow within the Department of Microbiology,
Biomedicine Discovery Institute, and my team is co-located alongside
the World Mosquito Program (WMP) at Monash University, Clayton. My
team aims to develop and support the application of novel intervention
strategies for mosquito-borne viruses.

Over the last decade WMP has established the use of the insect
symbiotic bacterium, Wolbachia, as a biocontrol tool: Wolbachia
reduces the risk of transmission of important human pathogenic
viruses, like dengue, from the Aedes aegypti mosquito species to
humans. WMP has deployed Wolbachia in regions of 12 dengue-prone
countries to date. The efficacy of their approach was recently
demonstrated in a randomised controlled trial in Yogyakarta,
Indonesia, where a 77% reduction in dengue incidence was reported in
regions of the city where Wolbachia was established in Ae. aegypti
populations (Utarini et al., NEJM 2021).

I run an NHMRC- and ARC-funded research program focussed on
understanding the molecular mechanisms that underpin Wolbachia's
antiviral activity in Ae. aegypti. Using novel in vivo and in vitro
systems, we apply a range of molecular technologies including high
resolution imaging, transcriptomics, proteomics and deep sequencing,
to probe how Wolbachia modifies mosquito cells and how viruses like
dengue may adapt to this antiviral pressure. Building this knowledge
bank will help support the application and longevity of Wolbachia as
an intervention strategy and may guide development of new applications
for its use in other viral vector species.