About
Summary
Roland Bamou is Postdoctoral Visiting Fellow at the National Institute of Health (NIH), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). His primary research interest is on mosquito ecology (movement and high altitude windborne migration) and mosquito borne diseases (virus, malaria, dengue and other arbovirus) surveillance, insecticide resistance, evaluation of vector control tools, mosquito identification through molecular biology, and MALDI TOF MS. In addition to infectious diseases, he is also interested in new technologies such as next-generation sequencing (NGS), digital droplet PCR and data analysis. Roland has experience with field and laboratory work,
Positions
Postdoctoral Visiting Fellow Feb 2022 -
Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institutes of Health
My role is to study implication of high altitude windborne mosquito (and other insects) in the dispersal of pathogens. Here, my duty is Identification of mosquito and other insect using morphology/molecular biology (DNA barcoding/sequencing), screening of pathogens with potential implication in human or animal health using different techniques from real time PCR to metagenomic (NGS). I was able to proof with fact that mosquito migrate in altitude with pathogens affecting animals and humans. In addition, I am working in mosquito ecology with the study of malaria vector movement in sahel using marked release recapture techniques. Mosquitoes are marked using special DNA taq combine with fluoresecnt water that is detected in the dark and after recapture the ,colour is check and the DNA Tag is screened in lab. Lastly, I am participating in the work on energy reserve study of mosquito that would help us to understand variation of longevity of mosquitoes based on climatic condition or stress. Skills acquired or used here include - next generation sequencing - molecular identification of insect using sanger sequencing or MinIon nanopore -RT-qPCR, qPCR, nested PCR or standard PCR for pathogens identification - course if scientific writing, good practice in research etc - basic biochemistry analysis of energetic reserves of insect
Postdoctoral position Sep 2020 - Feb 2022
Vitrome – Vecteurs – Infections Tropicales et Méditerranéennes, IHU Mediterranee Infection
In Cameroon, there is a rich biodiversity in term of insects including mosquitoes and pathogens. My postdoctoral research in France was to use proteomic tools (MALDI TOF MS) and molecular biology in view to update the list of mosquitoes from Cameroon and their associated parasites. Using morphological tool, mosquitoes were identified to species/genus and MALDI TOF MS was done. spectras obtained were analyzed and included in in home database after confirmation of species by sequencing. In addition, DNA was extracted and use for pathogens and microbiome analysis. I was able to produce 3 published and 1 unpublished papers within the project 10.1186/s13071-021-04950-9, 10.1186/s13071-022-05361-0, 10.3390/insects12121133. Also, this project helps to update the MALDI TOF Insect database of the institute. During this training, I learned - Mosquito identification using molecular tools (PCR and sanger sequencing) -Phylogenic analysis and comparison of sequences in BLAST or BOLD system - Creation of database with spectra obtained - MALDI TOF MS analysis- of mosquitoes, other insects and bacteria, interpretation of spectra and their analysis using Flex Analysis -Pathogens screening using molecular Biology -Basic knowledge in bacteria culture
Research assistant/Field coordinator Sep 2020 - Aug 2016
Laboratory of Malaria Research, OCEAC
OCEAC is the institute were I did my PhD research in medical entomology and Parasitology. here, I worked on multiple project and due to my personal quality, i was integrated in other funded projects in the institute and serves as entomologist for NMCP and VectorLink project (PMI). In the first project on residual malaria transmission in forested area, I used ELISA technique to screen plasmodium in mosquito and the bloodmeal source, molecular biology for species ID confirmation for An gambiae complex and taqman assay for insecticide resistance gene screening. In field, we collect mosquito for more than a year using different tools such as HLC, SPC, Backpack, CDC LT, WET and larval collection for insecticide resistance susceptibility tests (WHO bioassay and CDC bottles/cone tests). This project yield up with 5 publications where I am first author. The second project was the Welcome trust funded project of larviciding using VectoMax in Yaounde, there, I was the coordinator of field workers selected/trained for breeding site treatment and also serve as data manager for the team. Using GPS, we geolocalize breeding and quantify larval density sites in 36 districts in the city for more than 3 years simultaneously with adult mosquito collection using CDC LT and HLC. I took part in training of personnel and field operation including semi field evaluation of VectoMax agianst mosquito and non target. The project ended with more than 15 publications and I co-authored about 8. Other project is the BMG/PAMCA Project were we look malaria transmission if different epidemiological setting in Cameroon. Here I was the field coordinator in 2 sites and lab scientists for plasmodium detection. In field we study KAP of population toward malaria and we collect adult mosquito and larvae for insecticide susceptibility test. Here we established the level of insecticide resistance using 5X and 10X of pyrethrinoids and look implication of metabolic resistance using PBO. Up to 3 publications were published in this project. Other project was the writing of literature review of Human African Trypanosomiasis in the Republic of Congo From the 1950s to 2020 during COVID. Techniques learn - mosquito collection techniques/tools, identification - pathogens screening, mainly Plasmodium using ELISA/taqman -detection of bloodmeal source of mosquito using ELISA -Insecticide testing using WHO and CDC bottle bioassay - Insecticide resistance screening using molecular biology -
Education
University of Dschang 2015 - 2021
Field of study: Parasitology and Medical entomology
Degree: PhD
Mosquito sampling, insect ecology, insecticide resistance surveillance and management, vector borne disease surveillance/testing, molecular biology, insect identification PhD title: Factors contributing to the residual malaria transmission despite the use of long lasting impregnated mosquito nets in Olama and Nyabessan in forest area of south Cameroon Summary Despite increased use of long lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs), many households continue to complain about the frequency of malaria cases in most regions of Cameroon. In order to better understand the limits of the core interventions deployed so far by the government, my PhD project aim was to investigate factors linked to human behaviour and/or to the bionomic of mosquitoes and susceptibility to insecticide in Olama and Nyabessan, two villages of the south Cameroon forest region with different ecological features. Longitudinal entomological surveys were carried out in 2 localities, Olama (near the river Nyong without anthropic action) and Nyabessan (near of the river Ntem where a hydroelectric dam has been constructed), using different sampling techniques (Human landing catch (HLC), CDC light traps (CDC-LT), window exit traps (WET), spray catch (SPC)). After morphological identification, Anopheles spp., were grouped by species, locality (Olama et Nyabessan) and sampling location (indoor or outdoor) and were processed. Head and thoraces were analysed for Plasmodium sp. antigens while mosquito feeding preference (using abdomen of specimen collected by CDC, SPC or WET) were analysed by Elisa to determine blood feeding preference. In addition to morphological identification, species complexes were identified by PCR. Mosquito susceptibility to insecticides used in public health and evaluation of LLINs in experimental hut were done and resistance mechanisms were screened using different molecular techniques (PCR, RT-PCR) and cuticular gene analysis. A household survey on Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP)
University of Dschang 2010 - 2013
Field of study: Parasitology
Degree: Master of Science
Blood-sucking mosquitoes periodically seek a suitable host for their blood meal whose digestion is essential to the development of eggs. Each species has genetically predefined trophic preferences, but may feed on other alternative hosts in the absence of the main ones. An introduction of long lasting insecticide-treated nets as control strategy in endemic countries is to prevent human-mosquito contact. However, observations taken here and there are the appearance of behavioral resistance by divergence of anopheles to animals around the houses. The aim of my Master Research project was to evaluate the effect of blood meal source on the oviposition and hatching performance, to determine the blood type that offers the best performance, and predict anopheles’ population size following this divergence i learned - Establishement of mosquito colony - mosquito rearing and insectary maintenance - field sampling of mosquito using different techniques - evaluation of reproductive parameters (life history traits) on mosquito -statistical analysis using SPSS
University of Dschang 2007 - 2010
Field of study: Zoology
Degree: BS
Medical and veterinary entomology, Protozoology, Parasitology, Animal Behavior, Physiology
Awards
Fellows Award for Research Excellence (FARE) 2024 competition 2023
Young researcher fellowship of the Government of France 2019
Programme d’aide aux doctorants from Honorable Kuinche Albert 2018
Travel grant to attend training course on Fruit Fly Taxonomy and basic Ecology Tanzania from 5-16 November 2018 (Royal Museum of Central Africa) 2018
One of the best top 10 PhD Student at University of Dschang 2018
Programme d’aide aux doctorants from Honorable Kuinche Albert 2017
One of the best top 10 PhD Student at University of Dschang 2017
Programme d’aide aux doctorants from Honorable Kuinche Albert 2016
Languages
French, English
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