Mosquito facility opens to aid search for malaria drugs

New OHSU insectary designed to raise up to 200,000 mosquitoes

By Franny White September 19, 2019 Portland, Oregon

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Brandon Wilder, Ph.D., 2019. (OHSU/Kristyna Wentz-Graff)

Brandon Wilder, Ph.D., exits the secured area where mosquitoes are handled. A new mosquito research space created at the OHSU Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute will aid in the search for new malaria drugs. (OHSU/Kristyna Wentz-Graff)

OHSU/Kristyna Wentz-Graff

OHSU Insectary

Mosquitoes are kept in a climate-controlled incubator to mimic their native environment. Currently there are 1,600 mosquitoes, and the team hopes to raise at least 12,000 insects by the end of the year. A new mosquito research space created at the OHSU Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute will aid in the search for new malaria drugs. (OHSU/Kristyna Wentz-Graff)

OHSU/Kristyna Wentz-Graff

OHSU Insectary

Scientist Brandon Wilder, Ph.D., inside the screened area of the insectary where the most secure area of the insectary, the only area where the mosquitoes are actually handled. A new mosquito research space created at the OHSU Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute will aid in the search for new malaria drugs. (OHSU/Kristyna Wentz-Graff)

OHSU/Kristyna Wentz-Graff

OHSU Insectary

An electric bug zapper is on hand in case any mosquito should get loose in the work space. A new mosquito research space created at the OHSU Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute will aid in the search for new malaria drugs. (OHSU/Kristyna Wentz-Graff)

OHSU/Kristyna Wentz-Graff

OHSU Insectary

OHSU/Kristyna Wentz-Graff

OHSU Insectary

Research associate Maya Aleshnick returns a container of insects back into a screened holding area in the climate controlled unit. A new mosquito research space created at the OHSU Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute will aid in the search for new malaria drugs. (OHSU/Kristyna Wentz-Graff)

OHSU/Kristyna Wentz-Graff

OHSU Insectary

Research associate Maya Aleshnick (left) looks on as Brandon Wilder, Ph.D. returns mosquitoes to a climate-controlled incubator to mimic their native environment. A new mosquito research space created at the OHSU Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute will aid in the search for new malaria drugs. (OHSU/Kristyna Wentz-Graff)

OHSU/Kristyna Wentz-Graff

OHSU Insectary

Research associate Maya Aleshnick (left) and scientist Brandon Wilder, Ph.D., enter the room where mosquitoes with malaria are handled. A new mosquito research space created at the OHSU Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute will aid in the search for new malaria drugs. (OHSU/Kristyna Wentz-Graff)

OHSU/Kristyna Wentz-Graff

OHSU Insectary

Research associate Maya Aleshnick (left) and scientist Brandon Wilder, Ph.D., inside the insectary, a new mosquito research space created at the OHSU Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute will aid in the search for new malaria drugs. (OHSU/Kristyna Wentz-Graff)

OHSU/Kristyna Wentz-Graff

OHSU Insectary

Brandon Wilder, Ph.D., securely removes some mosquitoes from a container for examination. A new mosquito research space created at the OHSU Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute will aid in the search for new malaria drugs. (OHSU/Kristyna Wentz-Graff)

OHSU/Kristyna Wentz-Graff

OHSU Insectary

(Left to right) Thomas Martonson, scientist Brandon Wilder, Ph.D., and Maya Aleshnick, review the protocols for securely removing mosquitoes for examination, in September 2019. A new mosquito research space created at the OHSU Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute will aid in the search for new malaria drugs. (OHSU/Kristyna Wentz-Graff)

OHSU/Kristyna Wentz-Graff

OHSU Insectary

Brandon Wilder, Ph.D., studies and African species of the Anopheles mosquito that can’t survive in Oregon’s temperate climate. His research utilizes these mosquitoes in a carefully controlled research space created at the OHSU Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute will aid in the search for new malaria drugs. (OHSU/Kristyna Wentz-Graff)