The Center for Mosquito and Vector-Borne Disease Research at Kaduna State University focuses on combating malaria and other vector-borne diseases such as dengue, Zika, and yellow fever. With a multidisciplinary approach, the center addresses critical global health challenges through cutting-edge research, advanced public health interventions, and community engagement. Our research spans molecular mechanisms of Plasmodium falciparum, bioassays for antimalarial compounds, and innovative deep-learning algorithms for hydrocarbon quantification.
Committed to fostering collaboration, we engage with global health organizations, local communities, and educational institutions to implement sustainable solutions. The center also emphasizes capacity-building, outreach programs, and advocacy to advance disease prevention and control.
To reduce the prevalence, morbidity, and mortality associated with malaria and other vector-borne diseases by advancing research, enhancing public health interventions, and promoting sustainable community engagement for disease prevention and control
Scholars and institutions focused on mosquito-borne diseases. This will enhance and promote partnerships and collaborations for research.
Professionals engaged in disease prevention and control.
Entities responsible for health policies and funding at National and State levels
Residents in areas affected by mosquito-borne diseases.
Groups involved in health and environmental advocacy including the promotion of climate resilience and change initiatives
Students and faculty in public health, environmental science, and related fields at both undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate levels within and outside of Kaduna State University will be engaged and provided the opportunity to access and utilize the center’s facility.
Businesses in healthcare, mosquito control products, and related industries.
Agencies like WHO, UNICEF, global health donors, foundations, and trusts.
Historical Context: Malaria and other vector-borne diseases (e.g., dengue, Zika, chikungunya, yellow fever) have long been major causes of morbidity and mortality globally, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, their impact on military campaigns, colonial economies, and public health systems highlighted the urgent need for dedicated research.
The malaria parasite Plasmodium was discovered in 1880 by Charles Louis Alphonse Laveran. In 1897, Sir Ronald Ross identified mosquitoes as the vectors of malaria transmission. Sir Ronald Ross identified mosquitoes as the vectors of malaria transmission in 1897 and in 1900s, Walter Reed and his team confirmed that mosquitoes transmit yellow fever.
Early malaria research was often conducted through academic institutions, military research facilities, or colonial medical services.
Key players included the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (established 1899) and the Rockefeller Foundation, which heavily invested in mosquito-borne disease research in the early 20th century.
Post-War Expansion (1940s–1960s):
World War II highlighted the importance of controlling mosquito-borne diseases in military and civilian populations. This led to the establishment of institutions such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, USA, in 1946, which initially focused on malaria control in the southern United States.
Similarly, many countries established national institutes for tropical medicine or vector-borne disease research
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