SCIENTISTS in York will be buzzing to help stop mosquitos from spreading diseases.

And the York Biotech Campus is hosting much of the research as it ticks all the right boxes.

Some 15-20 people will be working on the research project, based either at the biotech campus at Sand Hutton or the University of York in Heslington.

Furthermore, there are also plans to recruit a 12 more people over the next six months, with roles available for everyone from new graduates to senior postdocs with a focus on insects, molecular biology and cell culture.

The University of York taken 2,750 sq ft of space on the biotech campus for the research project, which includes two controlled-environment rooms and ancillary space.

The university says around a sixth of all infectious diseases are transmitted by insects such as mosquitos and ticks and very few have effective vaccines.

To provide new ways to control mosquito borne diseases, the university will study how to reduce the number of mosquitos that produce them and also find ways to make mosquitos less able to transmit disease.

The announcement signifies a major collaboration between the University of York and York Biotech Campus, two leading research institutions within the region.

The campus worked closely with University of York to modify the laboratories to the requirements necessary for the studies to take place.

Luke Alphey, Professor of Genetics at University of York, will be leading the project. He has more than 20 years’ experience in insect research and moved onto site in January.

Luke said: “The research we will deliver is vital for reducing the risk of infection from mosquitos, and we’re so pleased to be based at the campus to facilitate this.

“We’re also going to be based very closely to other leading organisations in our field, such as Fera Science, who are also heavily involved in insect work, so we’re looking forward to seeing how we can collaborate and share knowledge with them.”

The Sand Hutton site is a hive of activity for insect-based research, which it appears to have a bug for.

Liz Cashon, Innovation Campus Manager at York Biotech Campus, said: “York Biotech Campus has a long history and significant experience in insect work.

“We’re home to the National Bee Unit, and earlier this year (2022) Fera Science launched a UK ‘first of its kind’ insect research laboratory. We’re excited to be expanding this expertise further with the arrival of University of York and its innovative mosquito project.”

The research would support the University of York as a significant, research body; it would boost growth in the region’s bioscience sector, and emphasis the campus as a leading facility of innovation and success in Yorkshire, she added.

For more information about York Biotech Campus, go to: https://yorkbiotechcampus.com/