Bugs, Bites & Parasites

Infectious diseases transmitted by insects have been in the news recently with the Zika outbreak. It has been evident for some time that new products are needed to control the insect vectors. A 10 year programme to develop and use new insect control products, that are now saving many lives, will be discussed. Professor Janet Hemingway is the Director of Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and a chair in Insect Molecular Biology. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Sheffi eld before undertaking a PhD at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. She has over 30 years experience studying the biochemistry and molecular biology of specifi c enzyme systems associated with xenobiotic resistance. She has also been the principal investigator on many projects including the Innovative Vector Control Consortium funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. In 2011 she was inaugurated as a Fellow of The Royal Society, and in 2012 she was awarded a CBE for services to the Control of Tropical Disease Vectors in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.