Ecology and evolution of mosquito-virus interactions, mosquito microbiome, arboviral emergence

Dr. Dickson’s research focuses on understanding the environmental and genetic determinants of Aedes aegypti-arbovirus interactions. The lab studies various environmental conditions that contribute to virus-vector interactions and arboviral emergence such as 1) Ae. aegypti larval ecology diversity, 2) the mosquito microbiome, and 3) climate driven environmental changes.

Dr. Dickson has a long-standing interest in understanding the genetic basis of Aedes aegypti-arbovirus interactions and how diverse ecologies of Ae. aegypti shape the success of Ae. aegypti in transmitting arboviruses. Other interests in the lab include utilizing the mosquito microbiome to develop novel control strategies.