Description du sujet de thèse

Dengue is experiencing a worrying surge in Burkina Faso, where it had previously been underestimated in favor of malaria. The accelerated urbanization of the capital, Ouagadougou, has led to the development of densely populated neighborhoods with inadequate water supply and waste management. These conditions create numerous stagnant water points where Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, the primary dengue virus vector, thrive. Recent studies have shown that certain mosquito populations are genetically composed of a mix of two subspecies: one generalist (Aaf) and the other with a strong human preference (Aaa). The Aaa subspecies is well-suited to urban environments, where it can more effectively spread viruses. This doctoral project aims to understand how the urban adaptation of Ae. aegypti contributes to the increasing dengue cases in Burkina Faso. Specifically, the project involves: 1) Collecting Ae. aegypti specimens from urban, peri-urban, and rural areas over two years to measure genetic admixture between the subspecies; 2) Studying their laboratory-based infection and transmission capacity for the virus, and their preference for human scent. The findings will lead to the development of genetic indicators to better target dengue control efforts. Ultimately, the approaches and results will benefit not only Burkina Faso but also other African regions facing similar challenges, contributing to limiting dengue spread and its public health impacts.

Contexte de travail

The PhD candidate will be hosted at the UMR2000 "Evolutionary Genomics, Modeling, and Health" (Institut Pasteur–CNRS, Paris), within the "Virus-Insect Interactions" team led by Dr. Louis Lambrechts. The thesis will be registered with the Doctoral School "Complexity of the Living" (ED515) of Sorbonne University, offering a multidisciplinary environment and a comprehensive training program. The project is supported by a close partnership with the "Arthropods Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases" team (Université Joseph Ki-Zerbo, Ouagadougou) led by Prof. Athanase Badolo for fieldwork, and with Dr. Noah Rose (University of California, San Diego) for expertise in population genomics and behavioral ecology. Through co-supervision with Prof. Athanase Badolo, the thesis will benefit from smooth coordination between field and laboratory work, and the candidate will be fully integrated into an active research network focusing on the emergence of arboviruses in Africa.

Contraintes et risques

The position involves fieldwork in Burkina Faso and experiments in a Biosafety Level 3 laboratory.