Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University (Virginia Tech) received a $240,549 Project Grant from the National Science Foundation's Division of Environmental Biology under the Biological Sciences program (CFDA 47.074), awarded August 1, 2026, with a completion date of July 31, 2029. This collaborative research project will develop the first comprehensive evolutionary and ecological framework for anopheline mosquitoes by integrating phylogenomic, morphological, and ecological data across the 489 described species in this genus. The research addresses critical gaps in understanding mosquito-borne disease vectors, including fewer than 75 of 489 anopheline species having been tested for pathogen transmission capability, and will enable public health agencies, mosquito control districts, and military preparedness programs to anticipate emerging disease threats rather than respond to them after emergence.

Key deliverables include an open-access digital atlas hosted by the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History documenting anopheline distribution, evolutionary relationships, dispersal abilities, and environmental range limits. The project will also provide workforce development through training of a postdoctoral fellow, graduate students, and undergraduates at the intersection of genomics, biodiversity informatics, and public health entomology. By establishing predictive capabilities for where new mosquito-borne disease threats may emerge—particularly in the context of expanding ranges due to invasive species and human-driven environmental change—this research directly supports public health preparedness and prevention strategies.