Mr Giorgio Praulins

Biography

Giorgio Praulins is a Research Assistant in the Vector Biology department at Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM), where they specialise in insecticide resistance and developing novel vector control methods. Their research focuses on refining and validating methods to assess the efficacy of new vector control tools, with a particular emphasis on spatial insecticides and monitoring resistance. Giorgio has built extensive experience in laboratory bioassay development, working with both novel and repurposed insecticides. They contributed to the World Health Organisation multicentre study (2017-2021) to establish discriminating concentrations for resistance testing and is currently leading a follow-up study to expand on this work.

As a Research Integrity Champion, Giorgio advocates for maintaining high standards of research practices and ethical conduct within the lab. They are also committed to promoting inclusivity in academia. As a founding member of the LSTM LGBTQ+ Network and the current chair of the LSTM LGBTQ+ Committee, Giorgio leads initiatives such as event organisation, policy development, and engagement with external networks. Additionally, they serve as the LGBTQ+ representative on the Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee and advocates for early-career researchers and technicians on the Tropical Disease Biology MSc Board of Studies.

Research interests

Giorgio focuses on vector control, specifically evaluating new insecticides and developing methods to monitor resistance. They have extensive experience in conducting laboratory bioassays to assess insecticide efficacy and in developing and refining bioassay methodologies. They investigate how external factors affect test variability and work to standardise protocols for more reliable results. Giorgio contributed to the WHO multicentre study (2017-2021) to establish discriminating concentrations for resistance testing, which has provided valuable public health guidance. Currently, Giorgio is overseeing a second discriminating dose study to build on this work.

Giorgio also focuses on standardising methodologies for evaluating vector control interventions, with a particular emphasis on spatial insecticides. They collaborate with manufacturers and NGOs, ensuring that laboratory research has practical, real-world applications.

Teaching

While Giorgio’s primary role is research-focused, they mentor BSc, MSc, and MRes students, supervising their projects in insecticide resistance and mosquito biology. Additionally, they assist with laboratory practical sessions, teaching bioassay techniques and entomological skills. Giorgio also leads training on research integrity, ensuring that students and colleagues adhere to rigorous scientific practices.

Selected research publications

The mini chamber test: a novel bioassay for bioefficacy testing of chlorfenapyr treated nets used in malaria control – Journal: Gates Open Research – Published: 1st May 2026

Maximising power with the minimum number of mosquitoes: Designing robust sample sizes for the WHO Cone Bioassay – Journal: Gates Open Research – Published: 27th August 2025

Better methods, better data: landscaping the priorities for improving methodologies in vector control – Journal: Gates Open Research – Published: 28th July 2025

Unpacking WHO and CDC Bottle Bioassay Methods: A Comprehensive Literature Review and Protocol Analysis Revealing Key Outcome Predictors – Journal: Gates Open Research – Published: 18th December 2024

Power calculation for mosquito bioassays: Quantifying variability in the WHO tube bioassay and developing sample size guidance for the PBO synergism assay using a Shiny application – Journal: Gates Open Research – Published: 12th September 2024

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