Louisa Alexandra Messenger

Assistant Professor, School of Public Health
Expertise: Medical and veterinary parasitology, Medical and veterinary entomology, Global health, Vector-borne diseases, Neglected tropical diseases, Malaria, Chagas disease, Vector control, Molecular epidemiology, Genomics

Biography

Louisa Messenger is a ÐÔÊӽ紫ý School of Public Health researcher who specializes in the control of tropical infectious diseases transmitted by insects (vector-borne diseases). She is passionate about improving health outcomes for impoverished populations worldwide.

Her current research concentrates on developing and evaluating new insecticides, health interventions, and surveillance tools to interrupt malaria transmission throughout sub-Saharan Africa. An additional line of her research focuses on improving our understanding of Chagas disease dynamics among distinct epidemiological settings across Latin America.

Messenger has worked on research projects in more than 15 countries, and collaborated with organizations including the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative and the World Health Organization. Prior to joining ÐÔÊӽ紫ý, she was a professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, completed a two-year American Society for Microbiology post-doctoral fellowship with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, held a L’Oréal-UNESCO Women in Science UK and Ireland fellowship, and led a U.S. Agency for International Development malaria clinical trial in Tanzania.

Messenger's work has been featured in multiple media outlets, including Reuters and BBC Radio 4. Her research findings have been published by the Lancet, Clinical Microbiology Reviews, Emerging Infectious Diseases, Journal of Infectious Diseases, Clinical Infectious Diseases, Nature Scientific Reports and PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases.

Education

  • B.A., Natural Sciences, University of Cambridge
  • M.Sc., Medical Parasitology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
  • Ph.D., Molecular Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

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Louisa Alexandra Messenger In The News

K.V.V.U. T.V. Fox 5
Louisa Messenger, a researcher at ÐÔÊӽ紫ý’s mosquito lab, said less than 1 percent of people with West Nile virus develop neuroinvasive cases. The virus crosses the blood-brain barrier and causes symptoms like meningitis and inflammation of the tissues of the brain.
A Healthier Tomorrow
From deploying natural predators like bats to the strategic release of genetically modified mosquitoes, discover the cutting-edge science and "biological hacking" being used to protect Southern Nevada from unpredictable diseases like the West Nile virus.
Realtor.com
This summer, don’t be alarmed if mosquitoes decide to ruin your summer cookout. Depending on where you live, you might see a significant spike in mosquito activity in the months ahead.
K.V.V.U. T.V. Fox 5
Researchers began trapping mosquitoes a month early this year as mild winter temperatures signal potentially record-breaking mosquito activity

Articles Featuring Louisa Alexandra Messenger