Avian malaria transmission: exploring the impact of natural antibodies in birds on vector competence (NATANT)

Project No. S-MIP-25-42

Project duration: 2025–2028

Project budget: €199 943

Research aim: This research project delves into the possibility of cross-reactivity between natural antibodies (Abs) and the microbiota of disease-transmitting vectors. The goal is to comprehend how the host’s microbiome can influence the vector’s microbiome via natural Abs, ultimately inducing infection-refractory states of the vector microbiome that reduce Plasmodium development and reshape the dynamics of disease ecology. Operating within a bird-mosquito-malaria pathogen system, we will integrate data from field studies using wild birds and avian malaria vectors and conduct experiments to uncover the influence of natural Abs on vector microbiome composition and disease ecology.

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