Obiettivo Neglected tropical diseases affect over 1.4 billion people and cause a greater disease burden than HIV/AIDS. Despite extensive mass drug administration (MDA) schistosomiasis remains a major public health issue, with a socio-economic impact second only to malaria amongst parasites. I will evaluate novel strategies and new technologies to monitor the impact of MDA programmes, to identify threats to MDA effectiveness, and enhance control of schistosomiasis in sub-Saharan Africa.Specifically I will address five ambitious questions:1. What is the best way to monitor schistosome infections and drug efficacy?2. Has drug resistance been selected for?3. What is the potential for drug resistance to spread?4. What other factors drive transmission?5. What other factors affect parasite clearance?These aims are feasible through innovative interdisciplinary methods including a) state-of-the-art DNA-chip diagnostics, b) novel application of genetic analysis to differentiate surviving worms from juveniles, c) use of drug screening technology to measure in vitro drug susceptibility, providing the first quantifiable in vitro phenotype without using mammals, d) combination of molecular techniques with mathematical models to elucidate the potential spread of phenotypes and e) an unparalleled interdisciplinary approach deducing host effects in non-clearers.These methods and technologies have not previously been used to assess MDA effectiveness for any helminth infection. My pioneering research will enable a comparative assessment of how transmission is affected by untreated adults and pre-school children, individuals with heavy infections, coinfections, and drug coverage. This will elucidate optimal strategies to reduce transmission hotspots.My results will improve monitoring protocols and inform policy makers on how best to treat schistosomiasis. I will fill a critical global health knowledge gap, with findings transferable across a range of MDA controlled diseases. Campo scientifico medical and health scienceshealth sciencesinfectious diseasesmalariamedical and health scienceshealth sciencestropical medicinemedical and health scienceshealth sciencespublic healthmedical and health scienceshealth sciencesinfectious diseasesRNA virusesHIVmedical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacydrug resistance Parole chiave Schistosomiasis drug resistance mass drug administration Programma(i) H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme Argomento(i) ERC-StG-2015 - ERC Starting Grant Invito a presentare proposte ERC-2015-STG Vedi altri progetti per questo bando Meccanismo di finanziamento ERC-STG - Starting Grant Istituzione ospitante UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW Contribution nette de l'UE € 1 490 270,00 Indirizzo UNIVERSITY AVENUE G12 8QQ Glasgow Regno Unito Mostra sulla mappa Regione Scotland West Central Scotland Glasgow City Tipo di attività Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Collegamenti Contatta l’organizzazione Opens in new window Sito web Opens in new window Partecipazione a programmi di R&I dell'UE Opens in new window Rete di collaborazione HORIZON Opens in new window Costo totale € 1 490 270,00 Beneficiari (1) Classifica in ordine alfabetico Classifica per Contributo netto dell'UE Espandi tutto Riduci tutto UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW Regno Unito Contribution nette de l'UE € 1 490 270,00 Indirizzo UNIVERSITY AVENUE G12 8QQ Glasgow Mostra sulla mappa Regione Scotland West Central Scotland Glasgow City Tipo di attività Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Collegamenti Contatta l’organizzazione Opens in new window Sito web Opens in new window Partecipazione a programmi di R&I dell'UE Opens in new window Rete di collaborazione HORIZON Opens in new window Costo totale € 1 490 270,00