Dr Robert Jones
Assistant Professor
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Keppel Street
WC1E 7HT
United Kingdom
I am a highly motivated insect biologist with expertise in novel approaches to insect control and the molecular basis of insecticide resistance. I am currently Research Fellow in the Department of Disease Control at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, managing fieldwork projects in the Gambia and Guinea-Bissau.
I am also leading the academic and international development activities at ARCTEC. I have extensive experience in designing and implementing high quality research studies of vector control tools, ranging from development studies of topical and spatial repellents to clinical investigations and field collections. I am also the Content Manager for the Global Vector Hub, an online resource for vector control data, resources and networking. I have a strong track record of producing peer-reviewed publications, and have experience in teaching and supervision.
Affiliations
Teaching
I currently co-supervise one PhD student:
- Elizabeth Pretorius: Evaluating the entomological impact of adjunctive ivermectin mass drug administration for malaria control on mosquito vectors in the Bijagós archipelago, Guinea-Bissau.
I am a tertiary supervisor to one PhD student:
- Alicia Showering: The role of the Skin Microbiome in Human Attractiveness to Malaria Mosquitoes.
In the last academic year I was a tutor for one MSc student and supervised/co-supervised four MSc summer projects:
- Danielle Bancroft: A qualitative study of community knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of Zika virus and vector-control strategies in Brazil.
- India Clancy: A content analysis of public health messages on arboviruses transmitted by Aedes aegypti in Brazil.
- Maria Tacugue: A qualitative analysis of stakeholder perspectives on vector control & vector-borne diseases in Colombia.
- Hugo Soubrier: Spatial distribution and environmental factors associated with Anopheles mosquitoes on the Bijagos Archipelago, Guinea-Bissau.
I lectured to MPH students at University of Sierra Leone in 2019. I am also a tutor on the LSHTM Distance Learning module IDM104 Control of Infectious Diseases. This has included:
- Updating the course material.
- Identifying recorded lectures and preparing podcasts to support learning and improve the learning experience.
- Writing exams for the July 2020 and 2021 exams and October 2020 exam.
- Student assessment.
I development several stages of a free online course (MOOC) in 2017 on Preventing the Zika Virus: Understanding and Controlling the Aedes Mosquito, which had over 20,000 subscribers, including:
- How concerning is Zika?
- Where do you find Aedes larvae
-Challenges in controlling mosquitoes
- Can we eliminate mosquitoes entirely?
In 2020 I developed steps for a further MOOC - The Global Challenge of Vector Borne Diseases and How to Control Them, including:
- The challenge of insecticide resistance
- Vector control challenges case study - Venezuela
- Lessons learned from vector control successes.
In 2021 I will again lead a practical session for Medical Entomology students on IVM 3176 (bioassays to detect insecticide resistance) and I will be a tutor on 3166.
I will take the PGCILT course in March 2021.
Research
I am interested in the challenge of controlling insects as a means to preventing the spread of vector-borne disease. Malaria remains a threat in many parts of the world, and the development of insecticide resistance is limiting the utility of some of the core interventions that have been used over recent decades. There is also the threat of arboviral diseases, which require a different suite of interventions. However, there are immense opportunities for controlling or eliminating these diseases through modern bite prevention technologies. I'm interested in developing and evaluating vector control tools and encouraging their progress to market. I also maintain an interest in the molecular, genetic and evolutionary processes in insects that are important for disease transmission. Recently, I have enjoyed investigating the roles that industrial activities play in both promoting and controlling vector-borne diseases, such as through increasing exposure of vulnerable individuals to insect bites, and the establishment of programmes for surveillance and treatment. Other areas of interest include improvements to housing and the built environment to reduce exposure to disease vectors, and community outreach to enhance knowledge and participation in vector control.
Selected Publications
