Brian Johnson
Dr | MARC Scientist
+ 61 7 3362 0222brian.johnson@qimrberghofer.edu.au
CAREER HISTORY
Brian received his M.Sc. (2011) and Ph.D. (2015) from Rutgers University (USA), where he worked on elucidating the transmission dynamics of West Nile virus across environmental systems. After completion of his Ph.D., he spent time as a Scientific Research Officer with James Cook University (Australia) in the Tropical Mosquito Research Laboratory. During his time at JCU, Brian investigated the ecology and control of the dengue vector Aedes aegypti. He most recently spent time as a Research Officer with the Center for Vector Biology (Rutgers University) investigating the current and future impacts of sea-level rise on saltmarsh mosquito ecology and control.
Brian is currently a Senior Research Officer in the Mosquito Control Laboratory (MCL) at QIMR-Berghofer and currently serves as the Research Scientist for the Mosquito and Arbovirus Research Committee (MARC). The MARC is an independent Australian body that represents local government and state health departments. Members are committed to implementing effective measures for mosquito control and disease prevention through a sound understanding of mosquito ecology and mosquito-borne virus biology. Brian works in the lab and field on the management and surveillance of mosquitoes and the viruses they transmit to help achieve these goals.
CURRENT APPOINTMENTS
- Scientist, Mosquito and Arbovirus Research Committee
- Senior Research Officer, QIMR-Berghofer
PREVIOUS APPOINTMENTS
- Senior Research Officer, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University (Australia)
- Research Fellow, Center for Vector Biology, Rutgers University (USA)
ORCID NUMBER
CURRENT RESEARCH
- Ecology and control of mosquitoes and mosquito-borne diseases
- Innovative vector control strategies
- Insecticide resistance monitoring and management
- Land use, environmental change and their impacts on human-mosquito interactions
- Technology and its application to mosquito surveillance and control
- Improving mosquito control and surveillance through Citizen Science
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS
- Development of new surveillance tools to improve monitoring of major urban dengue vectors
- Development of remote virus surveillance methods to monitor arbovirus activity in logistically challenging environments
- Adoption of drone-based technology to combat challenges presented by land use and climate change on saltmarsh mosquito control
- Risk analysis of West Nile virus in urban landscapes
- Development of new Citizen Science initiatives to improve urban mosquito control and surveillance
- Exploiting mosquito behaviour to better inform male-based control strategies (e.g., Sterile Insect Technique and Incompatible Insect Technique)
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
- Mosquito and Arbovirus Research Committee (Australia)
- Mosquito Control Association of Australia (MCAA)
- American Mosquito Control Association
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
- Ph.D., Ecology and Evolution, 2015, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
- M.Sc., Ecology and Evolution, 2011, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
- B.A., Biology, 2009, Minnesota State University, Minnesota, USA