SUNDAY 11 AUGUST 2019 – UWI TODAY
9
She never expected to be
working with mosquitoes—
after all, her background is
in molecular biology and she
had originally expected to
work with Professor (Dave)
Chadee. But fate and the
professor had other plans.
TO GIRL
he Mantle
I B A K S H
and crude oil. She was then encouraged to pursue the PhD
in the area of microbiology of water quality.”
But sometimes life has another plan, and she ended up
with mosquitoes instead. “They’re really miserable… but I
love them!” she laughs, remembering the endless bites the
team suffered while collecting their data for the project.
Now that the research is mostly complete, people have
started to take notice. Renee’s first article, titled “Changing
Patterns in the Distribution of the Mayaro Virus Vector
Haemagogus Species in Trinidad, West Indies” was accepted
for publication in
Acta Tropica
, and she has just found
out that she has won an award: The 2019 ACME Young
Investigator Award— International Student Travel Award
(granted by the American Society of Tropical Medicine
and Hygiene).
Hard work and many, many mosquito bites are
coming to fruition. And just in time, too. With the spread
of mosquito vector diseases across the tropics, it is more
important than ever to monitor these insects and the
diseases they carry— so if there ever is a local outbreak of
the Mayaro virus, we will be ready.
As Dr Ramsubhag puts it, “The results so far have
been very significant in terms of understanding the
distribution, ecology and the range of viruses associated
with
Haemagogus
mosquitoes. The data generated can now
be used by the IVCD for risk assessment and development
of management systems to mitigate any future outbreaks
of these viruses.
This project can be a model for cooperation and
collaboration between governmental agencies and academia
where we can apply our advanced technological capabilities
to help provide solutions to problems faced by the society.”
I don’t know about you, but I’m buzzing to see what
they find next.
Amy Li Baksh is a Trinidadian writer, artist and activist
who makes art to uplift and amplify the unheard voices in
our society.
ging Patterns in the Distribution
agogus Species in Trinidad, West
n in
Acta Tropica
, and she has just
s won an award: The 2019 ACME
rnational Student Travel Award
f Tropical Medicine and Hygiene).
Discussing mosquitoes with Dr Ramsubhag.
Renee and UWI “mosquito team” member Brent Daniel catching mosquitoes with their nets in the forest of Chaguaramas.
