As a member of the Center for Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases (CVID) at Colorado State University, the Foy laboratory focuses on the interactions of vectors with their hosts and with vector pathogens. The goal is to link research employing molecular, proteomic and genomic techniques to practical applications for controlling arthropod-borne diseases. A main research component in the Foy lab is to interrupt the intense transmission of malaria and arboviruses by targeting the vector through their bloodmeals using drugs that attack vector physiology and that inhibit pathogen development or using anti-vector immunity driven by vaccination. The Foy lab is also developing mosquitoes and other vectors as biosurveillance tools, studying unique aspects of arbovirus transmission and arbovirus survival in vectors, and studying poorly understood mosquito pathogens for their prospects to become vector-borne disease control tools.
research project
Repeat Ivermectin Mass Drug Administrations for Malaria control II (RIMDAMAL II)
This is a cluster randomized clinical trial in Burkina Faso to test whether repeated ivermectin mass drug administrations, integrated into a monthly delivery platform with standard malaria control measures of seasonal malaria chemoprevention and insecticide-treated bed net distribution, will reduce childhood malaria incidence and limit resistance development in mosquitoes and parasites.
research project
TRANSMIT: Tracking Antimalarial Resistance in Mosquito Populations
This project is designed to compare malaria parasite drug resistance tracking techniques using human blood samples versus using captured blood fed mosquito samples.
research project
Comparison of mosquito age-grading measures in the RIMDAMAL II randomized, double-blind clinical trial
This project is comparing new and old mosquito age grading techniques within the context of our RIMDAMAL II clinical trial to best determine how different vector-control measures mosquito population age structure.
research project
Aedes-borne arbovirus transmission
We are studying humans and animal models to characterize the viral dynamics, host responses and disease outcomes resulting from Aedes-borne arbovirus transmission. We are especially interested in understanding these outcomes from Zika virus transmission by the sexual and mosquito-borne routes. Our human studies partners are researchers at FIOCRUZ, Aggeu Magalhaes Institute, Recife, PE, Brazil.
research project
Endectocides for West Nile virus control
This project designed to develop and test endectocide-treated bird feed for efficacy in controlling West Nile virus transmission. Our partners are colleagues at UC-Davis, CDC-DVBD, and TDA Research, Inc.
Publications
Gray L, Asay BC, Hephaestus B, McCabe R, Pugh G, Markle ED, Churcher TS, Foy BD.
Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2022 Jul 18;107(3):689-700. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.21-1173. Online ahead of print. PMID: 35895347
Magalhaes T, Morais CNL, Azevedo EAN, Jacques IJAA, Castanha PMS, Cordeiro MT, Braga C, Jaenisch T, Marques ETA, Foy BD.
Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2022 Jun 6;107(1):186-189. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.21-1279. Print 2022 Jul 13. PMID: 35895363
Holcomb KM, Nguyen C, Foy BD, Ahn M, Cramer K, Lonstrup ET, Mete A, Tell LA, Barker CM.
PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2022 Mar 25;16(3):e0010260. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010260. eCollection 2022 Mar. PMID: 35333866
Miller MR, Fagre AC, Clarkson TC, Markle ED, Foy BD.
Pathogens. 2021 Jul 30;10(8):971. doi: 10.3390/pathogens10080971. PMID: 34451435
Jackson CL, Colborn K, Gao D, Rao S, Slater HC, Parikh S, Foy BD, Kittelson J.
Clin Trials. 2021 Oct;18(5):582-593. doi: 10.1177/17407745211028581. Epub 2021 Jul 3.
PMID: 34218684
more publications
Chilinh Nguyen and Brian Foy building field study boxes.
Soleil Foy and Jasmine Donkoh in the insectary.
Erin Markle presenting her undergraduate research.
Members of the Foy lab participated in a local March for Science.
contact information
Office: Center for Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases room 168
(970) 491-3470
brian.foy@colostate.edu