Professor Martin Donnelly

Biography

I trained at Girton College, University of Cambridge and LSTM. I then spent two years in the laboratory of Dr Tovi Lehmann at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, on an American Society of Microbiology Fellowship.

Research interests

I am an evolutionary geneticist studying medically important phenotypes in the insect vectors of malaria, Human African Trypanosomiasis and lymphatic filariasis. A major area of interest is the evolution of insecticide resistance in malaria mosquitoes. We use a variety of genomic, transcriptomic and proteomic approaches to identify and validate insecticide resistance associated loci. We then work with a network of partners to integrate these diagnostics into both malaria control programmes and randomized control trials to assess the epidemiological impacts of insecticide resistance. A key partnership is with the Wellcome Sanger Institute, where I hold an Honorary Faculty position.

Selected research publications

The origin, history, and resistance architecture of an invasive urban malaria mosquito in Africa – Journal: Science – Published: 25th June 2026

Polygenic scores for genomic surveillance of insecticide resistance in malaria control – Journal: Trends In Parasitology – Published: 1st June 2026

Impact of indoor residual spraying and insecticide-treated nets on malaria burden in 8 districts in West Nile and Acholi regions, Uganda: a quasi-experimental study – Journal: BMC Global and Public Health – Published: 5th May 2026

The genomics of insecticide resistance in Anopheles funestus: insights from a large bed-net trial – Journal: BMC Genomics – Published: 18th March 2026

Genetic Surveillance Reveals Differential Evolutionary Dynamic of Anopheles gambiae Under Contrasting Insecticidal Tools Used in Malaria Control – Journal: Molecular Ecology – Published: 3rd March 2026

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