Dr. Jewelna Akorli wins the Senior Category of the 2nd PAMCA Women in Vector Control (WIVC) Excellence Award at PAMCA Conference 2022, Kigali, Rwanda. The award is in recognition of her work in the field of vector research and her contribution to leadership in the control of mosquito-borne diseases.

Her current primary research focuses on molecular entomology with particular interest in using the molecular and genomic understanding of the interactions between insect vectors, their endosymbiotic micro-organisms (microbiome) and human pathogens for innovative and effective vector and disease control strategies. She is ultimately interested in bridging the gap between laboratory findings and field relevance in novel proposed tools for vector control. She holds a Wellcome Trust Intermediate Fellowship and an ANTI-VeC Network grant to conduct research on the diversity, ecology and mechanisms of action of microbes with anti-Plasmodial potential. She is also a co-PI of a University of Ghana BANGA-Africa funded project aimed piloting Aedesmosquito surveillance in Accra Metropolis for modelling the risk of arboviral disease.

She enjoys mentoring and providing training opportunities for students, research assistants and technicians to build capacity in various techniques in entomological research. She receives a cash prize of $2500. The awardees will have the liberty to re-invest in initiatives that promotes women participation in vector-borne diseases in sub-Saharan Africa.

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