Greg Jefferis and Elizabeth Marin recently secured a new Wellcome Discovery Award, “A whole-brain connectome of the female Aedes aegypti mosquito.” In collaboration with Wei-Chung Allen Lee (Harvard Medical School) and Meg Younger (Boston University), we will generate a proofread, annotated, synapse-resolution brain dataset of the mosquito that transmits deadly diseases including Zika, dengue, and yellow fever by biting human hosts. Our grant includes several biological aims focussed on elucidating the organisation of the chemosensory system that underlies host-seeking behaviour. The dataset will be made freely available to researchers worldwide for investigation of other areas of interest including thermosensation and hygrosensation, feeding behaviour, descending motor control, and navigation.

We are currently recruiting for new positions on this grant; please see the Opportunities page for more details.