Douglas Paton

Plasmodium falciparum, the causative agent of malaria, is a deadly parasite that is spread through the bite of Anopheles mosquitoes. My lab is committed to developing new and novel ways to reduce global malaria burden, and studies the interaction of Plasmodium parasites with their Anopheles mosquito host, with an emphasis on the sub-Saharan African context where the vast majority of cases occur. We are focused on the role of Plasmodium mitochondrial function as a driver of parasite growth and development within the mosquito – a key developmental bottleneck and a strong target for novel disease-prevention technology.

Our research is split between lab-based work with a strong focus on molecular biology, cloning, tissue culture, multi-omics, and experimental mosquito infection, and “boots-on” field work at SREL studying natural vector/parasite pairings, focusing on the interaction of parasites and mosquito during diapause (overwintering).

Current research foci in the lab include:
1) Investigating the role of the Plasmodium mitochondrion in transmission to- and growth in Anopheles mosquitoes
2) Determining the impact of antimalarial drug resistance on the transmission of Plasmodium
3) Understanding the ecological and energetic role of mosquito sugar feeding behaviour on vector fitness and parasite growth.