Francis Schaffner, PhD, Medical and Veterinary Entomologist
Francis Schaffner started to study biting insects in the framework of designing biological mosquito control campaigns in Haute-Alsace, France (during 14 years). His work on mosquito systematics allowed him to obtain a university thesis on mosquito taxonomy (1992) as well as a PhD thesis on biosystematics of the Anopheles claviger vector complex (2002).In 1996, Francis co-organized the 10th European SOVE meeting in Strasbourg. During other 8 years he worked for the mosquito control public agency in southern France (EID Méditerranée), heading the laboratory of entomology of the research and development unit.There, his main activities included mosquito species characterization, population genetics, behavioral and ecological aspects with the finality of mosquito control. He surveyed and studiedWNV outbreaks and malaria transmission in southern France, and was coordinating the French surveillance and control program of exotic mosquitoes, such as the Asian Tiger mosquito. In January 2007 he joined the Institute of Parasitology of the University of Zurich as a part time collaborator. There he contributed to establish a research team on arachno-entomology, with focus on veterinary and medical vectors, thus widening his research and development activities to include biting midges (Ceratopogonidae), sandflies (Phebotominae),Phorticadrosophillid, as well as haematophagous flies.In addition he joined the Avia-GIS company in November 2009 as a half time senior entomology expert operating from France. Avia-GIS "Agriculture and Veterinary Information and Analysis" is a Belgian consultancy founded in 2001 that specializes in the collection, processing and analysis of spatial information as a basis for the development of data driven space information systems applied to veterinary and public health in general and emerging vector-borne diseases in particular.
Francis Schaffner has now more than 28 years of experience in surveillance, control, taxonomy, ecology of insect vectors and epidemiology of human and animal vector-borne diseases (e.g. West Nile andchikungunya fevers, bluetongue). He is a leader in European mosquito taxonomy and has published an identification and training program: ‘The Mosquitoes of Europe’ that is available on CD-Rom. Throughout his career much time was devoted to training and capacity building. He operates frequently as a consultant in European countries as well as for international bodies (e.g. WHO and European CDC), and recently developed guidelines for the surveillance of invasive mosquitoes in Europe for ECDC.
More information about activities at:
A complete list of publications is available at:
Avia-GIS
Agriculture and Veterinary Information and Analysis
Risschotlei 33 B-2980 Zoersel
Institute of Parasitology
Swiss reference laboratory for vector entomology
Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich
Winterthurerstrasse 266a CH-8057 Zurich