Description
Material provided: Physical access for end-users
Unit definition: 1 week of access
Biosafety level: CL1
Location: Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Montpellier, France
Installation name: Vectopole at IRD
Website: www.mivegec.ird.fr
The facility
The Vectopole is a platform located on the IRD campus in Montpellier France dedicated to the study of vectors and the pathogens they transmit. 550 m² of workspace are available, including fully-equipped secure CL2 and CL3 insectaries and labs for vector behaviour and insecticide resistance surveys. The lab is a WHO Reference center for the use of insecticides in Public Health. The facility includes 85 m² of insectary space in 5 rooms dedicated to insecticide bioassays, 125 m² of CL1 insectary space in 7 rooms for insect rearing and vector behavioural tests, 54 m² of CL2 confined space including 3 rooms for insect rearing and 2 labs and 62 m² of CL3 confined space including 2 rooms for insect rearing and infection, 2 rooms for experiments with small vertebrate hosts and 1 central lab, fully equipped for the production of arboviruses.
The Vectopole is operated by the French joint research unit MIVEGEC, grouping together 100 staff scientists (researchers and research assistants). The unit hosts the national reference centre for Leishmania and the WHO reference centre for vector resistance to insecticides.
Available vectors
Experiments will be conducted with the following INFRAVEC2-distributed mosquito vector colonies: Anopheles coluzzii, Aedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus and Culex quinquefasciatus.
Users’ own mosquito colony/strain of interest might be hosted in the lab for the duration of the experiment, upon specific agreement.
Services offered
1 Unit is a 1-week access to a dedicated CL1 room with controlled climatic conditions and equipped with larval and adult mosquito rearing materials (pans, cages, shelves…) and consumables, benches and tubs, one climatic chamber and any of the previously-defined customized/standard devices for the study of mosquito behaviours. Access to fridges and freezers (-20°C, -80°C) upon request.
Possible experiments
Experiments may include:
- Standard WHO insecticide susceptibility assays, ranging from topic application of active compounds to larval bioassays, cone tests, tube tests and CDC bottle tests
- Irritability tests, tunnel tests and adult bloodfeeding inhibition assays
- Videotracking may be adapted to track mosquito behaviour
Many behavioural studies require customized devices and ad hoc protocols, and the duration of the study will depend upon the complexity of the experimental design and number of replicates deemed suitable. We therefore encourage interactions between the end-users and the hosting team in designing the experiments.
For more information, please contact us.