Gregory Lanzaro

Professor

Pathology, Microbiology & Immunology

Office
4225 VM3B, Davis, CA 95616

Education
1972, BS, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas
1978, MS, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
1986, PhD, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
1988, Post-doctoral, Mississippi State University, Starkville, Mississippi
1991, Post-doctoral, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
1995, MacArthur Fellow, National Institutes of Health, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland
Active Research Grants
Co-Principal Investigator, Safely engineering various classes of gene drives to control a major invasive disease vector, Ae. aegypti., Omar Akbari, UCR (Principal Investigator), Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
Co-Investigator, Pacific Southwest Regional Center Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases, Christopher Barker, UCD (Principal Investigator), Center for Disease Control
Principal Investigator, Evaluating leading GM mosquito strategies using novel A. gambiae population dynamic data and models, (Principal Investigator), NIH
Co-Principal Investigator, TIGS-UC DAVIS – Field trials for the evaluation of GE Anopheles malaria vectors, Ethan Bier, UCSD (Principal Investigator), The Tata Institute for Active Genetics and Society
Co-Principal Investigator, UC Irvine Malaria Initiative, Anthony James, UCI (Principal Investigator), UC Irvine
Principal Investigator, Stage One: Pathway to WHO Phase 2 Field Trials of a Population Modification GEM, (Principal Investigator), Open Philanthropy
Honors and Awards
1991-1995 MacArthur Foundation Fellowship, Molecular Biology of Disease Vectors
2000-2006 Faculty, International Biology of Disease Vectors Course
2002 Chairman, Executive Council, American Committee on Medical Entomology, American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
2002-2017 Member, External Advisory Panel, Johns Hopkins University Malaria Institute
2005 Rogoff Lectureship, Department of Entomology, Cornell University
2006 Invited guest, White House Malaria Summit
2006 Service Award, Entomological Society of America
2007 Excellence in Research Award, Academic Federation, UC Davis
2007 Plenary Speaker, Annual Meeting, Society of Vector Ecology
2009 Elected Vice-President/President Elect, Society for Vector Ecology
2009 Plenary Speaker, 34th Annual Meeting, Human Biology Association
2009 2009 Student Selected Speaker, Department of Entomology, University of Arkansas
2010 President Elect, Society for Vector Ecology
2010 Plenary Speaker, Keystone Symposia on Molecular and Cell Biology
2010 Keynote Speaker, 10th Annual Symposium, Center for Host-Parasite Interactions, McGill University
2010 Keynote Speaker, 14th Annual Arthromint Meeting, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Ilha Grande, Brazil
2010 Invited Speaker, Biology of Mosquito Vectors Symposium, Johns Hopkins University
2010 2010 Editor's Choice Award by the Entomological Society of America
2011 President, Society for Vector Ecology
2013 Delegate, Albert Schweitzer Centennial, Libreville, Gabon, Central Africa
Most Recent Five Book Chapters
2013 Lanzaro GC, Lee Y: Chapter 6. Speciation in Anopheles gambiae - The distribution of genetic polymorphism and patterns of reproductive isolation among natural populations, Manguin S, (ed), Anopheles mosquitoes - New insights into malaria vectors, . 173-96.
2011 Dorn P, Noireau F, Krafsur ES, Lanzaro GC, Cornel AJ: Chapter 18: Genetics of major insect vectors, Tibayrenc M, (ed), Genetics and Evolution of Infectious Disease, London / Burlington, MA. .
2005 Lanzaro GC, Nuzhdin S, Tripet F: Tools for monitoring the genetic structure and stability of mosquito populations, , In: Proceedings: Working Group on Strategic Plan to Bridge Laboratory and Field Research In Disease Vector Control 14-16 July 2004, ICIPE, Nairobi, Kenya, The Netherlands. .
2003 Lanzaro, GC, Tripet, F: Gene flow among populations of Anopheles gambiae: A critical review, Takken, W, Scott, TW, (ed), Ecological Aspects for the Application of Genetically Modified Mosquitoes, Wageningen, The Netherlands. 109-132.
Research Focus
Vector biology, population genetics, genomics, scince policy. My overall research interest is in the population genetics of insect vectors of human and animal diseases. I have developed a program that pursues knowledge that may be applied to the control of vectorborne diseases but at the same time addresses critical issues in basic evolutionary genetics. My work has transitioned from classical population genetics to a more contemporary population genomics approach. Whereas my earlier work was based on analyses using genic markers, such as microsatellite DNA and single nucleotide polymorphisms, our current work applies next generation sequencing to study individual insect genomes, allowing us to explore problems with far greater depth and to address questions that were intractable just a few years ago. In parallel with our increasing use of genomics I have established a program in bioinformatics which is essential for both the management and analysis of the large body of data we are generating using next generation sequencing. I am pursuing this interest within the context of several major avenues of research: 1) Population genetics of the human malaria vector, Anopheles gambiae in west and central Africa: This work deals with describing the genetic structure of populations, understanding the forces responsible for this structure and how patterns of gene flow influence the distribution of traits critical to understanding and managing malaria transmission. I have been working at field sites in Africa since 1991 and my current program has been supported continuously since 1996 with support in the form of a series of NIH grants. More recently we have obtained grants as collaborators from the Ceneters for Disease Control and Prevention, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Tata Institute for Genetics and Society and the UC Irvine Malaria Initiative.Our recent focus is on the development of genetic strategies for the control of mosquito vectors, focusing on malaria. We are leading an effort to conduct field trials of genetically engineered mosquitoes to eliminate malaria. The strategy is to introduce genes that render the mosquitoes incapable of transmitting the malaria parasite coupled with a CRIPR/Cas9-based gene drive system to promote the spread of these beneficial genes throughout the natural mosquito population. Thus we propose to eliminate the malaria parasites but not the mosquito itself. This work also includes community engagement programs and formal interactions with government entites to develop a regulatory pathway for the application of this new, exciting technology. This work is being conducted in collaboration with scientists and health officilas in two African countries; Sao Tome & Principe and the Union of the Comoros. In addition we are extending this work into India in a collaboration with the Tata Institue for Genetics and Society.Closer to home we are working in collaboration with mutiple Mosqutio Control Agencieas in California on a study of the mosquito species Aedes aegypti, which was introduced into our state in 2013. We are describing the genetics of populations of this mosquito to determine the mechanisms underlying how this invasive species was introduced into CA and patterns in its ongoing spread throughout the state.
Specialty Focus
Entomology, population genetics, genomics