Sabina Chioma Eze is a researcher in zoology, medical and forensic entomology. She is an assistant lecturer at the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo (FUHSO), Benue State, and a graduate research assistant in the United States, where she is currently doing a graduate programme. In this interview by KINGSLEY ALUMONA, she speaks about her work on vector and malaria control, among other issues.

How did you come to study Zoology, and what was your experience studying it at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN)?

I studied Zoology at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, because of my love for bugs. I appreciate nature and want to understand the interaction of these animals in their environment and their impact on humans. It was a great experience because I had a strong background in biology.

After graduation, did you see yourself having a fulfilling career in zoological practice, or did you consider other options? How would you describe the early years of your research and academic career?

Of course, I am fulfilled in my career as a Zoologist. I had wanted to join academia, so during my National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), I applied to graduate school to pursue a master’s program. However, I was unable to secure my desired academic position until three years later. Eventually, I landed my dream job as an assistant lecturer at the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo (FUHSO), Benue State. During my time at FUHSO, I encountered individuals who had a positive impact on my career development. In particular, the advice of our Head of Department at the time shaped my decision to pursue further studies abroad, a goal that has since materialised in my life. This experience reinforced my belief that strong mentorship is essential for academic and career growth.

What area(s) of zoology do you specialise in and why?

I specialise in entomology, a branch of Zoology which is the scientific study of insects. This is because I wanted to go into public health. I understood that insects are the bedrock of experimental biology, such as genetics and evolutionary biology. Most of the scientific research is conducted using insects as a model organism because of their short generation time and high fecundity. Insects act as pests that destroy food products, and as vectors of various deadly diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, dengue virus, Lyme disease, Zika virus, and others. Insects also act as environmental indicators and pollinators. Therefore, the study of insects is important for controlling disease vectors, ensuring food security, and maximising ecosystem services.

How would you describe your research endeavours in entomology, and how have the outcomes/findings of your work in this area impacted society?

During my master’s degree at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, I conducted research on detecting the post-mortem interval (the time elapsed since death until discovery) using insect evidence from a crime scene as supportive evidence to validate other established evidence in a court of law. However, I later developed a curiosity for research in agricultural entomology. My interest in working on stored-product entomology was fuelled by the desire to help end post-harvest losses in the agricultural industry.

One of the major causes of food insecurity, especially in Nigeria, is post-harvest loss. Many farmers produce thousands of tons of food, but only a small proportion is utilised in good condition. I strongly advocate for the adoption of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) (using pesticides only when it is critical) strategies to control insect pests, reduce environmental pollution and promote a greener environment. Our research is impacting society because a lot of people are now using botanical pesticides for the control of pests, especially in warehouses. I also hope that our present research in malaria mosquitoes will be accepted by the public to end malaria in Africa.

The problem of many households and food warehouses is how to control pests and insects without the application of pesticides and other harsh chemicals. Are there natural and effective ways this can be done? Have you thought of researching this alternative means of pest control?

To keep the food products in good condition, adequate pest control is paramount. IPM plays a crucial role in reducing insecticide resistance and environmental pollution. Researchers have found that certain plant leaves and root powders can be used to store agricultural products to protect them from pest infestations.

However, in one of the research projects my team carried out in the Department of Biology, Federal University of Health Sciences Otukpo, which was funded by Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TetFund), we found out that storing beans with the combination of small pepper fruits (Capsicum species) and neem leaves (Azadarica indica) powder can prevent weevil infestation on stored beans (Acanthoscelides obtectus). This manuscript is in peer review and will be published very soon.

Our team also found out that moringa leaves, the back of citrus fruits, and other botanicals are effective in controlling cockroaches. This result is crucial for controlling cockroaches in the household where pesticide application may be prohibited, such as kitchens, cupboards, and restaurants where cooked foods are kept to avoid food poisoning.

Recently, on LinkedIn, I noticed you have an interest in public health, especially how it relates to malaria control. Is this interest about finding a cure, a vaccine, or finding a way to prevent malaria from affecting people?

My interest in public health focuses on profiling strategies for controlling disease vectors, with particular emphasis on malaria-transmitting mosquitoes (Anopheles gambiae).

Malaria is one of the sicknesses with the highest mortality rates in Africa, affecting children more. What is the research/academic community, healthcare stakeholders, and the government not doing well to proffer a lasting solution to this disease? What innovative approach would you recommend to address the problem effectively?

Malaria is one of the greatest threats to public health, especially in most developing countries like Nigeria. In 2024, there were an estimated 282 million malaria cases in 80 endemic countries worldwide, with 610,000 malaria deaths. Pregnant women and children under five years of age are more severely affected. The healthcare stakeholders and researchers have been on top of the game in the fight against malaria.

There are many mosquito control techniques, like indoor residual spray, insecticide-treated bed-net, larviciding, and the use of antimalaria drugs. These methods are effective, but the behaviour of people in developing countries makes it difficult to achieve maximum results. For instance, some people do not sleep under the mosquito nets, others stay outdoors in the late evening when the malaria mosquitoes bite most, without wearing protective clothing. Poor housing also increases the exposure of people to mosquito bites.

It has been shown that malaria-carrying mosquitoes have developed resistance to many insecticides. To combat resistance, you need to rotate the insecticides with different modes of action. These challenges have led to the consideration of a novel control strategy, ‘genetic control’. These strategies include paratransgenesis for population suppression and transgenesis for population replacement. In transgenesis, researchers are engineering molecules using cutting-edge technologies, such as Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats-CRISPR-associated protein 9 (CRISPR-Cas9) and others, to knockout or knock in transgenes that are vital for the invasion, development, and transmission of malaria parasites in the mosquitoes. When the transgenic mosquitoes are released into the wild and mate with the wild mosquitoes, the offspring will be incapable of transmitting malaria parasites.

This is highly innovative because we may still have mosquitoes around us, but there will be little or no malaria transmission.

Recently, our team published a review paper which shows that engineering an effector molecule into the Anopheles mosquitoes can block the invasion and replication of the Plasmodium parasite in the mosquito salivary gland.

Transgenic mosquitoes are genetically altered mosquitoes. While this alteration may help curtail malaria, do you not think it may have some negative effects on the mosquitoes, which may even have negative health implications for humans and other organisms.

These are concerns frequently raised regarding the use of transgenic mosquitoes. To date, laboratory studies have not reported significant negative effects. However, ongoing trials continue to evaluate potential long-term environmental impacts. Oxitec has previously released genetically modified Aedes mosquitoes in Brazil as part of efforts to control dengue transmission. Nevertheless, continued advocacy and scientific dialogue are necessary to assess the effectiveness of these modified mosquitoes in disease suppression and to fully understand their long-term ecological consequences.

Advocacy remains active at multiple levels, including individual, community, institutional, national and international. But such interventions cannot be implemented without public acceptance and engagement.

On the occasion of this year’s International Women’s Day, you celebrated every woman who works hard to impact humanity and who dedicate themselves to ending malaria in Africa. Do you think malaria can be eradicated in Africa? If yes, what are the roles of women like you in achieving this lofty goal?

Malaria can be eradicated from Africa if individuals, public health experts, governmental and non-governmental organisations join hands to achieve zero malaria. Furthermore, African climates strongly support mosquito development and malaria transmission. Limited funding also makes it very difficult to achieve zero malaria in Africa.

As a member of the women’s wing of the Pan-African Mosquito Control Association, we advocate for more women to join in the fight against malaria. Actively including women in vector control programmes (such as efforts to control mosquitoes or other disease vectors) increases representation and fairness, and this inclusive approach helps to motivate community-level (grassroots) awareness, participation, and advocacy in disease prevention efforts.

What do you love about Florida? And what do you miss about Nigeria while in the United States?

Florida is a good place to live because the weather is favourable and the people are also hospitable. I miss a lot of Nigerian foods such as fufu (akpu), Okpa-Nsukka, achicha, ayaraya, and many others. (Saturday Tribune)