COVID-19 information:

The course organisers are monitoring closely the COVID-19 situation in the UK, and in the other parts of the world. Any changes to the course structure and timings caused by COVID-19 national and international restrictions will be communicated to all applicants as soon as feasible (insect-course@pirbright.ac.uk).

Course overview

This 5-day theoretical and practical course will provide a necessary background to successfully plan, design, and conduct insect infection studies with BSL2 and BSL3 pathogens. The course is aimed at early career scientists, and/or applicants looking to strengthen their research capacity in this area. No prior entomology experience is required. To get the full value from the course, prior experience in working with human/animal pathogens in biological containment laboratories is an advantage, but contact the organisers for more details if unsure.

The course will take place at The Pirbright Institute, an international centre of scientific excellence in the study of viral livestock and zoonotic (transmitted from animals to humans) diseases located in Pirbright, Woking, UK. The practical modules of the course will take place within the high containment laboratories of the state-of-the-art Plowright Building. Prior to the commencement of the course, these laboratories will be decontaminated and externalised to allow safe access to all course attendants. No infectious biological agents will be handled during the course.

Theoretical modules will include:

• Legal framework for working with insects in biological containment laboratories (including national considerations);
• Principles of risk assessment;
• Facility design and operation;
• Good experimental design.

Practical modules will include:

• Insect rearing in dedicated non-contained insectary and in biological containment laboratories;
• Insect infection in three distinctive laboratory setups: (1) on bench, (2) using a minimum extraction glove box, (3) and using a class III biological safety cabinet;
• Sample collection, processing and interpretation of results.

Tutors

Simon Carpenter, The Pirbright Institute

Simon Carpenter is the Head of Entomology Group at The Pirbright Institute and has worked for over 20 years on vectors of arboviruses with a primary focus on biting midges of the genus Culicoides and UK mosquito populations and published over 90 peer reviewed articles in this area. He was responsible for designing the Arthropod Infection Suite and the prototype for the Minimum Extraction Glovebox that is used in the current course and has advised on insect facility biocontainment at both an EU and UK level, interacting with regulators and scientists. Since 2017 he has acted as Science lead on the Core Capability Grant, a £62m initiative to provide infrastructure for science at The Pirbright Institute which encompasses biosecure facilities including the Plowright building and animal isolation units. He is additionally a work package leader on Infravec2, which funds the current course, and leads The Gnatwork, an international networking grant for workers on biting midges, sandflies and blackflies.

Adrian Zagrajek, The Pirbright Institute

Adrian Zagrajek completed a PhD on pathogenesis on mosquito-borne Semliki Forest and chikungunya viruses at the Roslin Institute, the University of Edinburgh. In 2014, Adrian joined The Pirbright Institute as a postdoctoral research scientist to develop the capacity to study vector competence for human BSL3 pathogens, and to study environmental factors affecting vector competence. During this time Adrian was also involved in managing a number of high containment facilities, including training and competency assessment. In 2017 Adrian contributed to “Safe working with arthropods: Containment and control for work with uninfected, infected and transgenic animals in research”, the first UK industry guidance on working safely with insects in high containment laboratories. Adrian has recently moved to the Academic Affairs and Training Team at The Pirbright Institute as the Biosafety Processes Training officer where he is responsible for the development and delivery of specialist training courses aimed at biosafety professionals, in particular those in charge of biosafety level 3 and 4 facilities.

Victoria Sy, The Pirbright Institute

Victoria Sy is a postdoctoral research scientist within the Entomology Group at The Pirbright Institute. Victoria obtained PhD in Natural Sciences from the National University of La Plata (Argentina), where she studied factors affecting the development and reproduction of the floodwater mosquito Ochlerotatus albifasciatus, combining laboratory and field work. Since then she has participated in a variety of projects related to mosquito control using different approaches. She has studied the use of microorganisms as biological control agents, as well as worked on implementation of the Sterile Insect Technique, and on development of gene drive systems for the genetic control of mosquitoes. In Infravec2, Victoria studies the effect of laboratory environmental conditions on mosquito life history traits and how this affects their vector competence with the aim of improving the reproducibility and relevance of laboratory vector competence studies for arboviruses of high consequence to human and health (e.g. chikungunya virus, dengue virus, Zika virus).

Isabelle Dietrich, The Pirbright Institute

Isabelle Dietrich is a Fellow at The Pirbright Institute and leads the Mosquito Immunity Group. She graduated from the University of Glasgow with a PhD in Virology in 2013, where she characterised feline restriction factors against feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and other feline lentiviruses. Isabelle then joined Alain Kohl’s group at the Centre for Virus Research at the University of Glasgow as a postdoctoral research associate. Here, she investigated mosquito immune responses to the Rift Valley fever virus, in particular the role of RNA interference and small non-coding RNAs in the control of arthropod-borne (arbo)viral replication. In 2016, Isabelle became a member of the Simmonds lab at the University of Oxford where she studied the immune recognition of RNA viral genome composition and structure. Her research at The Pirbright Institute focuses on the recognition of arboviruses by the mosquito immune system and the characterisation of viral pathogenicity determinants, combining molecular virology, immunology and entomology techniques. Her group also studies viral evolution. Overall, her work aims to identify novel strategies to control arbovirus replication and transmission by mosquito vectors.

Simon Gubbins, The Pirbright Institute

Simon Gubbins is the Head of Transmission Biology Group at The Pirbright Institute. He has over twenty years of experience using mathematical and statistical approaches to investigate the transmission of infectious diseases. A particular area of his interest is vector-borne diseases, including bluetongue, lumpy skin disease and Rift Valley fever. Here, he uses mathematical models to integrate field and laboratory data to understand the spread of these diseases and the impact of control measures.

Christopher Sanders, The Pirbright Institute

Christopher Sanders is a senior postdoctoral entomologist within the Entomology Group at The Pirbright Institute, with more than 10 years of experience in a wide variety of field and laboratory experiments on insect vectors, including Culicoides. He has carried out complex and demanding in vivo transmission studies of bluetongue virus (BTV) and foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) within the animal containment facilities at Pirbright. His recent studies focused on the theme of virus reassortment in the ruminant host, and defining the impact of virus strain on the vector competence of Culicoides.

Jessica Stokes, The Pirbright Institute

Jessica Stokes is a postdoctoral research scientist within the Entomology Group at The Pirbright Institute. Jessica is interested in pathogens spread by Culicoides biting midges, including Schmallenberg virus and bluetongue virus. Jessica completed her PhD on the epidemiology and surveillance of diseases spread by Culicoides biting midges at the University of Liverpool. Her work at The Pirbright Institute focuses on the overwintering of adult Culicoides and the seasonal patterns of their emergence throughout the year. Jessica’s work will also explore the vector competence of Culicoides for bovine ephemeral fever virus as a case study in understanding the potential for transmission of exotic pathogens by European vectors.

Sanjay Basu, The Pirbright Institute

Sanjay Basu is a senior postdoctoral research scientist within the Arthropod Genetics Group at The Pirbright Institute. He completed his PhD studies at Keele Univerisity. His work involved generating transgenic Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes refractory to Plasmodium spp. infections. Following a move to Virginia Tech in 2009, he continued investigations with genetic engineering and CRISPRCas9 gene editing of Aedes aegypti. Since beginning his work at The Pirbright Institute in 2015 he has been investigating refractory mechanisms in Ae. aegypti targeting specifically alphavirus and flavivirus replication.

Anna Lawton, The Pirbright Institute

Anna Lawton is a Health, Safety and Biosafety (HSBS) Advisor at The Pirbright Institute, where she provides expert advice, guidance and training on HSBS issues. Anna holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of York, and worked as a molecular geneticist at the University of Oxford for 11 years where she developed gene therapy treatments for Cystic Fibrosis lung disease. She left the bench to pursue a career in health and safety in 2013, leaving academia briefly to work for a private aviation company before joining The Pirbright Institute in 2017. She has a particular interest in risk assessment, safety culture and employee engagement, and chemical safety.

Sarah Gold, The Pirbright Institute

Sarah Gold studied for her BSc Hons in Zoology at the University of Bristol. She then worked in the Department of Physiology researching splice variants of vascular endothelial growth factor in preeclampsia. Sarah moved to The Pirbright Institute in 2002 as a Research Assistant in Professor Terry Jackson’s laboratory. The EU funded project looked at the location of integrin receptors in animals susceptible to FMDV. She furthered her studies by completing a PhD researching the cell entry mechanisms of BTV. She went on to work for Dr Toby Tuthill in the Picornavirus Molecular Biology Group as a postdoc for 8 years on a series of BBSRC funded grants researching FMDV cell entry and replication. Sarah left the bench last year to join the Health, Safety and Biosafety (HSBS) Team as the Training Officer. She is responsible for developing the onsite science training programme which includes emergency scenario training.

David Hamer, The Pirbright Institute

David Hamer is a senior engineer with 30 years of experience. David joined The Pirbright Institute in 2017 as the Senior Maintenance Owner where he designed and implemented a new Safe System of Work and new training and competency standards for the engineering department. Holding a position of Engineering Training Officer within the Academic Affairs and Training Team at The Pirbright Institute, David is currently responsible for the development and delivery of specialist training. David’s training activities focus on design, operation and maintenance of biosafety equipment critical to safe and efficient operation of biosafety level 3 and 4 laboratories. Prior to joining The Pirbright Institute, David served 29 years in the Royal Navy in the Marine Engineering branch. During this time David gained a MSc in Leadership Management and was involved in various training activities for the surface fleet as a non-Commissioned Officer and a Commissioned Officer.

Syllabus, tools and resources

Coursework material will be distributed by the Course Organiser during the course. Any preparatory or recommended read will be shared with successful applicants in advance of the course.

Registration, travel and accommodation costs

Costs of registration, accommodation, and transfer to/from the hotel are covered by the Course Organiser for all successful candidates. All successful candidates will receive funding in the form of travel grants to attend the course. These grants are calculated on the basis of the country where the applicant host laboratory / institution is established, regardless of the applicant nationality:

• €460 to successful applicants working/studying in a EU Member State or Horizon 2020 Associated Country;
• €750 to successful applicants working/studying in any other country.

A list of Horizon 2020 Associated Countries can be found in this document [PDF].

Any other costs not specified in the course overview will not be covered (such as visa fees, stationary, telephone charges, etc.). The fixed-amount travel grant will be paid to selected candidates upon registration on the first day of the course. Successful applicants will be asked to provide a photocopy of their passport/ID and bank details in advance of the course start. No receipts, proof of purchase or expenses claims are necessary for the fixed-amount travel grant.

For more information, please contact the Course Manager.

Sustenance

Breakfast will be provided at the hotel. Lunch and refreshments throughout the day will be provided at the course venue.

Day overview

• Arrival on-site: 8:30
• Morning theoretical workshop: 8:45 – 10:30
• Break and individual discussion: 10:30 – 10:00
• Morning practical session: 11:00 – 13:00
• Lunch: 13:00 – 14:00
• Afternoon practical sessions: 14.00 – 15.45
• Break and individual discussion: 15:45 – 16:00
• Afternoon practical sessions: 16:00 – 17:00
• Departure from the institute: 17:15

Eligibility criteria

This course is aimed at early career scientists (PhD students, postdoctoral research scientists, junior fellows and group leaders). Prior entomology experience is not required. Prior experience working in biological containment laboratories is recommended (especially biosafety level 3 and higher). All relevant prior experience should be highlighted in the CV and the covering letter, including: (1) the type of experience (biosafety level, type of work undertaken), (2) whether working unsupervised or under supervision, (3) length of experience in months and years, (4) outcomes where applicable (e.g. research papers published).

Application

To apply, complete the online application form. As part of the application, you must upload your academic CV and a Covering Letter specifying how this course will forward your career. The application deadline is Monday, February 8, 2021.

Selection of candidates

Each application will be evaluated by a Selection Panel (SP) comprised of one external (non-Infravec2) reviewers and two Infravec2 partners. Evaluations by the SP will consist of a numerical score from 0-3 in each of following three areas:

• Work history and research record;
• Expected outcomes;
• Applicant’s Covering Letter.

Reviewers’ comments should not be identifiable.

An application is considered acceptable if the total score summed across the three above areas is ≥6, given that each of the individual areas is scored ≥1. A score of zero in any of the three areas (“fails to address the criterion”) will class the application as unacceptable.

An application with a total average score below 6 is unacceptable. In the case of a total average score above 6, but when one of the reviewers gives a score below 6, the Course Organiser will request project evaluation by a fourth reviewer. If no clear decision emerges from the additional reviewer, a final resolution is found by the vote of a majority of the Infravec2 Steering Committee.

Following the scoring system indicated above, a ranked list is compiled. If necessary, the Steering Committee will determine a priority order for applications which have been awarded the same score. Whether or not such a prioritisation is carried out will depend on the number of available places. Priority is given to ex-æquo applications as follows:

• Applications submitted by researchers currently engaged in doctoral studies or holding a Ph.D. degree for up to 5 years irrespective of the time taken to acquire it;
• When applications are still equal, priority will be based on the scores for criterion 1, Work history and biography, and thereafter for criterion 2, Expected outcome, and finally for criterion 3, CV and letter of support.

Conflict of interest (candidate selection)

Before evaluating an application, reviewers should make sure there is no conflict of interest (COI) between them and the applicant.

Situations that create an actual or potential COI include:

• Within the preceding three years, has collaborated with, co-authored publications with, and/or mentored or trained (for example, supervised as postdoc or student in the laboratory) the applicant;
• Is in collaboration, is negotiating collaboration, or is preparing an application or publication with the applicant;
• Has a primary professional appointment in the same institute as the applicant
• Other situations that could create the appearance or concern of COI to a reasonable observer.

General professional or scientific interactions, including joint participation with the applicant in large European networks or projects, or past collaboration or mentorship, do not automatically create a COI if they do not respond to the criteria above.

Evaluation outcome

The Course Organiser collates the scores and evaluations, calculates the final score out of the 3 individual scores of the reviewers, and sends the evaluation feedback (Request accepted, or rejected) to the applicant.

Contact

For further information contact course organisers at insect-course@pirbright.ac.uk.