Dr Toby Mills

Career Summary

Biography

Qualifications

• Doctor of Philosophy, University of New South Wales
• Bachelor of Science (Honours), University of New South Wales
• Master of Science and Technology, University of New South Wales

Teaching

Publications

For publications that are currently unpublished or in-press, details are shown in italics.

Journal article (7 outputs)

Grants and Funding

Summary

Click on a grant title below to expand the full details for that specific grant.

20231 grants / $4,949

20221 grants / $30,000

20211 grants / $55,000

20201 grants / $33,000

Research Supervision

Current Supervision

Research Projects

Population modelling and ecology of the Australian saltmarsh mosquito, Aedes vigilax 2022 -

The Australian saltmarsh mosquito Aedes vigilax is the primary vector of the mosquito-borne diseases

Ross River virus (RRv), Barmah Forest virus (BFv) and Murry Valley encephalitis (MVe), in the Australasian region. It is also

responsible for significant nuisance-biting around coastal wetlands, including the Newcastle region, as it can fly multiple

kilometres from saltmarshes to urban and recreational areas.

To combat the impact of vector borne disease the University of Newcastle has engaged with CSIRO, the University of Melbourne and NSW Health to

develop an environmentally sensitive Ae. vigilax suppression program. Leveraging previous success, the team is undertaking the world’s first application of the insect intracellular bacteria Wolbachia to modulate Ae. vigilax populations and disrupt their ability to transmit viruses.

Despite the negative impacts they impose on our community, Aedes vigilax is an Australian native mosquito, and their primary habitat in Newcastle is the RAMSAR protect Hunter Estuary. To successfully tackle the public health challenges they pose we require an ecological risk assessment to support the regulatory (Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority) and community approval required to proceed.

First point of entry mosquito vector monitoring 2021 -

Exotic mosquitoes pose a threat of increased pest and public health risk to Australia. Notwithstanding

the concerns of local authorities around Australia as to the potential increase in local outbreaks of

potentially serious mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue, there are World Health Organisation

(WHO) International Health Regulations (IHR) that require the monitoring and response to exotic

mosquito detections at First Points of Entry (FPoE). The rapid detection and response to the detection

of exotic mosquitoes is critical to ensuring that mosquitoes of concern, such as Aedes aegypti or Aedes

albopictus, do not become introduced and established locally. Pathways of introduction for these

mosquitoes have already been demonstrated through airports and seaports receiving vessels from

overseas locations. These pathways include the holds of aircraft, baggage (e.g. unit load devices),

freight and equipment, and personal belongings of travellers. In addition to monitoring the introduction

of exotic mosquitoes, every effort should be made to ensure that local mosquitoes are not inadvertently

spread overseas. Endemic mosquitoes such as Aedes notoscriptus and Aedes camptorhynchus have

already been spread from Australia to North American and New Zealand respectively.

Population genomics of the Ross River vector Aedes vigilax: connectivity within and between Australian populations 2021 -

Mosquito Microbiomes and the Prevention of Ross River Fever 2022 -

The salt marsh mosquito, Aedes vigilax, is the primary vector of Ross River disease in Australia, a disease with more than 4,000 Australian cases reported each year. Newcastle and the Hunter coast includes diverse and favourable mosquito habitat for salt marsh mosquitoes including the environmentally protected Hunter Estuary Wetlands and National Parks. Due to the unique environmental and geographic characteristics of the estuary, traditional approaches for mosquito management are not suitable and there is a need to develop environmentally sensitive, cost effective and sustainable mosquito control strategies.

Working in the Neilan Laboratory of Microbial and Molecular Diversity at the University of Newcastle, and with the CSIRO and University of Sydney, the research will leverage the innate biocontrol potential of insect microbiomes to develop the next generation of mosquito management tools.

Activities in the project may include:

•Characterising intracellular and extracellular mosquito associated microbial diversity endemic to the Hunter and creation of a culture collection,

•Investigating the role of the microbiome and diet in the fitness and development of mosquitoes, both positive and negative, and applications in mass rearing and wild population control,

•Curation of the microbial culture collection to identify strains capable of manipulating host vector competence and fitness, with a focus on synergistic effects,

•Trial and development of novel microbial mosquito control technologies.

News

News • 4 Aug 2021

New approach to tackling mosquito-borne disease in the Hunter

New research to tackle one of Australia’s most prolific mosquitos, responsible for spreading most cases of Ross River virus, has commenced in the Hunter Region of New South Wales.

Dr Toby Mills