NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Monday, November 16, 2015

Research being undertaken by a team at the University of the Sunshine Coast has caught the attention of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Principal investigator Dr Joanne Macdonald, a senior lecturer and researcher in molecular engineering, is set to pursue an innovative global health and development research project, titled: A rapid field test for detecting infected mosquitoes.

Dr Macdonald’s collaborative project is one of more than 50 Global Challenges Explorations Round 15 grants announced late last week by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The USC-led project will use its $138,000 grant over 18 months to develop a world-first rapid test kit for detecting multiple pathogens, such as deadly malaria and dengue, in infected mosquitoes.