Research Projects

Arboviral infections such as dengue, Zika, and chikungunya, transmitted primarily by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, pose an escalating global health threat. Traditional chemical insecticide-based control programs, particularly those using pyrethroids, have become increasingly ineffective due to the widespread development of resistance in mosquito populations. Mechanisms such as metabolic detoxification, cuticular thickening, and target-site mutations (e.g., knockdown resistance or kdr mutations) have drastically reduced the success of pyrethroid-based interventions. This research addresses the urgent need to overcome insecticide resistance through a novel nanotechnological approach. The project proposes the development of eco-friendly, carbon-based nanocarriers — Carbon Dots (CDs) and Reduced Graphene Oxide (rGO) — designed to restore pyrethroid sensitivity in resistant Aedes mosquitoes. These nanomaterials act as synergists, enabling improved insecticide penetration, inhibition of resistance-conferring enzymes, and cellular-level disruption of detoxification pathways.