Martin Rono

Martin Rono has come to join Margaret Mackinnon's team as a post-doctoral research assistant. Martin gained his undergraduate training at Moi University in Kenya and then undertook a PhD in Elena Levashina's lab in Strasbourg, France working on molecular mechanisms of mosquito defence against malaria parasites.  He will be setting up the microarray facility in Kilifi with help from our Singapore collaborator, Zbynek Bozdech.  The team will be using whole genome microarrays to analyse for differences between malaria parasites that come from high vs. low transmission areas in an effort to determine which parasite genes allow the parasite to adapt and overcome host immunity. This will help us determine which control strategies may be 'evolution-proof' and which parasite genes are involved in virulence and immune evasion.