Philip McCall is Everett-Dutton Professor of Medical Entomology at Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM). He studied Biology (BSc Cork) and Animal Parasitology (MSc Bangor) before his PhD investigating the vectors of bovine onchocerciasis at the University of Liverpool/LSTM in 1987.

In 1990 Philip was awarded a Wellcome Trust Advanced Training Fellowship and worked with Ted Turlings and Jim Tumlinson on tritrophic interactions and host location by parasitic hymenoptera at the Center for Medical, Agricultural & Veterinary Entomology in Florida.

Prior to joining LSTM in 1998, his research was on the simulium vectors of onchocerciasis in Africa, based in UK, the Netherlands (Wageningen) and Mali (with Onchocerciasis Control Programme).

Philip’s main research interest is in the behaviour of arthropod disease vectors, from characterisation of basic vector behaviour to understanding how those behaviours might change in response to insecticide challenge or shifts in host availability. Many gaps exist in understanding of key behavioural events in the adult life of these mosquitoes and better knowledge, however simple, has the potential to guide efforts to refine and improve the performance of existing approaches.

His research aims are often defined or refined by the activities and outputs of the other teams working in the department on closely related topics.

Philip’s current active work includes studies on movement and resting behaviours of anopheles gambiae and aedes aegypti within the peri-domestic environment, leading to new testing protocols for evaluating insecticidal nets, barrier bednets, and black-painted skirtings for control of malaria and dengue vectors.

Philip delivers lectures on vector behaviour and control to the MSc and Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene courses and supervises short student projects that are completed for the MSv or mRes qualifications. He also supervises longer-term projects (2-3 years) carried out by PhD students.