UK launches £3.75 million study to map mosquito and midge disease risks
Researchers at the University of Glasgow have obtained £3.75 million to investigate how climate and environmental shifts could expand mosquito and midge-borne diseases across the United Kingdom.
A multimillion-pound research initiative called PAMEC has been funded by UK Research and Innovation to assess the threat of mosquito and midge-borne diseases in the United Kingdom. The University of Glasgow team, headed by Emilie Pondeville and Heather Ferguson, will adopt a One Health, multidisciplinary approach that merges cutting-edge lab work with extensive field data collected nationwide. The programme aims to produce predictive models that clarify both present and future disease risks, informing preparedness strategies.
It expands on findings from the Mosquito Scotland project and collaborates with the UK Health Security Agency, the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, SRUC, and Public Health Scotland. Recent incidents, such as the detection of Usutu virus in Scotland and Aedes aegypti in east London, underscore the urgency of the study.
Why it matters
Understanding vector-borne disease risk helps protect public health as climate change alters disease patterns.
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