About Transmission Zero

Transmission Zero are an international research programme working towards new genetic tools for malaria elimination.

What do we do?

We are developing new ways to tackle the spread of malaria by Anopheles mosquitoes. We are utilising innovative genetic tools to make mosquitoes resistant to malaria infection, combined with the ability to pass this trait onto all of their offspring. In the wild, this would allow malaria resistance to spread among mosquito populations, protecting people by stopping transmission of the disease.

Where do we work?

Transmission Zero is an international programme co-led by Imperial College London researchers in the UK, and by the Ifakara Health Institute and National Institute for Medical Research in Tanzania, in collaboration with the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute in Switzerland.

UK

Imperial College London (ICL)

Our offices in the UK are headquartered at Imperial College London

Tanzania

National Institute of Medical Research Tanzania (NIMR)

Our partners at the National Institute of Medical Research, Tanzania, are based in Mwanza

Tanzania

Ifakara Health Institute (IHI)

Our offices in Tanzania are headquartered at the Ifakara Health Institute

Switzerland

Swiss Tropical And Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH)

Our partners at the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute are based in Allschwil, Switzerland

Who are we?

Transmission Zero is co-led by an interdisciplinary team of scientists across our research offices – find out more about us below:

Programme Director (ICL)

George Christophides

George is co-Director of the global T0 programme and lead investigator of the vector immunology and transmission activities at Imperial. His expertise is in insect immunity and genomics, infectious diseases, and host-pathogen interactions.

Programme Director (ICL)

Nikolai Windbichler

Nikolai is co-Director of the global T0 programme and lead investigator of the genetic engineering and gene drive activities at Imperial. His expertise is in synthetic biology and gene drive technologies.

Programme Director (IHI)

Dickson Lwetoijera

Dickson is the Director of the Transmission Zero Program at Ifakara Health Institute (IHI) and oversees implementation in Tanzania, including regulatory pathways and local collaborations. His expertise is alternative and transformative outdoor vector control strategies. Dickson is a Wellcome Trust International Intermediate Fellow and IHI's Deputy Head of Training and Capacity Building.

Lead Scientist (ICL)

Dina Vlachou

Dina leads the discovery of antiparasitic effectors and molecular parasitology activities at Imperial. Her expertise is in molecular and cellular infection biology, with extensive experience in disease vector and malaria parasite genetics and functional genomics.

Lead Scientist (ICL, IHI)

Tibebu Habtewold

Tib leads the technology transfer activities and establishment of entomological assays at Imperial and IHI. His expertise is in molecular and field medical entomology.

Lead Scientist (NIMR)

Alphaxard Manjurano

Alphaxard directs the Transmission Zero NIMR efforts in entomological and epidemiological monitoring of field sites, as well as community engagement coordination. Alphaxard has been working with national, academic and NGO partners to design and implementat national malaria control programs. He heads the Malaria Research Unit and Laboratory Sciences at Tanzania's NIMR, Mwanza Centre.

Lead Scientist (IHI)

Brian Tarimo

Brian leads the entomology related molecular biology activities at IHI and aids communication and outreach activities. His expertise is in molecular biology and bioinformatics. He is the Deputy Head of Department of Environmental Health and Ecological Sciences (EHES) and the Secretary/Biosafety Officer of the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC).

Lead Scientist (IHI / Swiss TPH)

Fredric Tripet

Frederic leads the field entomology and population genetics activities at IHI and will act as senior advisor to the Transmission Zero project. He previously worked as field entomology coordinator to the Target Malaria project. He has over 25 years expertise in vector molecular ecology and population genetics, focusing on mosquito traits, crucial release strategies such as mating behavior, dispersal, and patterns of gene flow.