The VECTOBOL platform
Partners
The VECTOBOL platform is based on a collaboration among scientific institutions, public health organizations, and stakeholders involved in the study and surveillance of blood-feeding insects of medical and veterinary importance in Bolivia.
Since its inception, VECTOBOL has grown thanks to a network of partners contributing at various levels: data collection and validation, entomological expertise, fieldwork, collection preservation, logistical support, and maintenance of the digital infrastructure.
The partners featured in this section are participating in or have contributed to the platform’s development, its operation, and the ongoing expansion of knowledge about vectors present in Bolivia.
Founding Institutions and Scientific Partners
The TDR (Special Program for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases), hosted by the World Health Organization, played a pivotal role in the creation of VECTOBOL by supporting the project “Implementation of a Bolivian Network for Expertise on Local Insect Vectors,” funded under the Impact Grant initiative—Research Capacity Strengthening and Knowledge Management to Improve Disease Control.
Implemented in 2016–2017, this project helped strengthen Bolivia’s national capacity for expertise on insect vectors and establish a network bringing together research institutions and organizations specializing in medical entomology.
The VECTOBOL platform was subsequently created in 2018 as an evolution of this network, with the aim of organizing, preserving, and disseminating the knowledge generated on vectors of medical and veterinary importance in Bolivia.
The MIVEGEC Joint Research Unit (Infectious Diseases and Vectors: Ecology, Genetics, Evolution, and Control) at IRD-France contributes to the scientific and technical development of VECTOBOL.
Through its research activities in medical entomology and vector ecology, MIVEGEC contributes scientific expertise, assists with data structuring, and helps develop the platform.
MIVEGEC also provides support for VECTOBOL’s digital infrastructure, notably by covering the annual hosting costs for the platform.
The Universidad Mayor de San Simón (UMSS), through the Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas e Investigación Social (IIBISMED), is a major scientific partner of VECTOBOL in Bolivia.
IIBISMED participates in research activities related to medically important vectors and contributes to the advancement of knowledge about blood-feeding arthropods found in Bolivia.
This collaboration builds on the scientific network established during the founding project supported by TDR/WHO and contributes to the development and enhancement of the VECTOBOL platform.
The Instituto Nacional de Laboratorios de Salud (INLASA), through its Medical Entomology Laboratory, is a scientific partner of VECTOBOL and contributes to the national network of expertise on insect vectors in Bolivia.
Since the launch of the founding project supported by TDR/WHO, INLASA has participated in entomological expertise activities, particularly in the identification and study of medically important vectors.
This collaboration contributes to the ongoing development and enrichment of VECTOBOL by promoting scientific exchanges and knowledge sharing among institutions involved in vector research in Bolivia.
Scientific Partner and Center of Expertise in Entomology
Operational partners and field networks
LEMUMSS
Scientific Partner and Center of Expertise in Entomology
The Medical Entomology Laboratory at the Universidad Mayor de San Simón (LEMUMSS) is a key scientific partner of VECTOBOL for the study and analysis of medically significant blood-feeding insects in Bolivia.
The laboratory contributes to taxonomic identification, entomological expertise, and the characterization of specimens collected during fieldwork associated with the platform.
LEMUMSS also houses VECTOBOL’s entomological collection and provides its facilities for the conservation and study of reference specimens, thereby contributing to the long-term preservation of the biological resources associated with the platform.
The Departmental Health Services (SEDES) are key operational partners of VECTOBOL in the areas of entomological surveillance and vector research in Bolivia.
Through their departmental technical teams, the SEDES contribute to the field network by collecting and submitting insect samples for identification and entomological analysis.
These collaborations help to continuously enrich the data available in VECTOBOL and strengthen the links between public health surveillance, scientific expertise, and the sharing of knowledge about vectors present in Bolivia.
Notable collaborations include those with the SEDES in La Paz, Pando, and Chuquisaca.
Logistical and Technical Support
The French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (Instiotut de Recherche pour le Développement – IRD) office in Bolivia provides essential logistical support for field activities conducted as part of the VECTOBOL project.
This support includes, in particular, the provision of logistical resources to facilitate field missions—such as vehicles—and, as needed, assistance with the travel arrangements of research teams to various regions of Bolivia.
By facilitating the organization of sampling campaigns and scientific missions, IRD Bolivia contributes to the smooth operation of field activities and the ongoing development of the VECTOBOL platform.