Development of novel nature-inspired technologies for control of disease vector mosquitoes and One Health perspectives in their application

Mosquito-borne diseases (MBDs) continue to pose a major global health threat, exacerbated by the emergence of insecticide-resistant mosquito populations. As synthetic insecticides remain the primary line of defense, there is an urgent need for novel active compounds with unique modes of action (MoA). Natural products (NPs), with their vast chemical diversity, represent a promising source of safer bioactive molecules for vector control. This presentation highlights recent advances from our Vector Biology Program aimed at identifying and characterizing NP-based insecticidal compounds. Our current research integrates two complementary strategies: the discovery of nature-inspired toxicants using Aedes aegypti as a model vector and the data collection of reported insecticidal NPs with MoA studies. The discussion will explore the use of High-Throughput Screening platforms to enhance the efficiency of the molecule testing process, and the MoA elucidation of active compounds using a metabolomic approach. Additionally, we present findings from a comprehensive literature review encompassing over 1.400 peer-reviewed articles, synthesizing data on NP-derived compounds with high potency against mosquito vectors, their MoA, and toxicity profiles in non-target organisms. We strongly believe that the insights gained from both research strategies will serve as a foundational reference for future research and support the development of next-generation insecticides that align with One Health principles.