Research interests
Sernyen’s research focus is on Wolbachia-based vector control such as Wolbachia-mediated population supression and replacement. The former is more translation and involves understanding how to better prepare the UK for an eventual Ae. albopictus invasion using Wolbachia. The latter is rooted in the phenomenon know as Wolbachia-blocking, where the presence of Wolbachia in non-native mosquito hosts restrict the replication of multiple arboviruses. Elucidating the complex mechanisms of Wolbachia-blocking has been difficult as it involves interactions between the host mosquito, Wolbachia, and the virus. However, the understanding of the mechanisms are crucial to monitoring any potential resistance that may arise in arboviruses
Biography
Sernyen is a PhD student currently funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health Protection Research Unit (HPRU) in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections (EZI)