Bianca Burini

Assistant Professor

Mosquito transgenesis and gene editing
bianca.kojin@ufl.edu

Publications

• Eze, S., Nguyen, V. T., Morvay, A., Lee, Y., & Burini, B. C. (2026). Genetic control of malaria transmission: a salivary gland-centric perspective. Current opinion in insect science, 74, 101462.
• Nguyen, V.T., Ali, RLMN., Burini, B.C., Dryden, D.S., Riddin, M.A., Saili, K., Simulundu, E., Reeves, L.E., Norris, D.E., Lee, Y. A new assay for molecular identification of Anopheles squamosus (Diptera: Culicidae) using internal transcribed spacer 2. Malar J. 2025 Oct 16;24(1):345. doi: 10.1186/s12936-025-05600-6. PMID: 41102710; PMCID: PMC12532879.
• Duran-Ahumada, S., Petersen, V., Futo, M., Zamy, M., Pereira, T., Burini, B.C. The toolbox for mosquito vector research. Parasit Vectors. 2025 Sep 24;18(1):389. doi: 10.1186/s13071-025-07008-2. PMID: 40993674; PMCID: PMC12462310.
• Petersen, V., Santana, M., Karina-Costa, M., Nachbar, J. J., Martin-Martin, I., Adelman, Z. N., Burini, B. C. Aedes (Ochlerotatus) scapularis, Aedes japonicus japonicus, and Aedes Fredwardsius) vittatus (Diptera: Culicidae): Three neglected Mosquitoes with potential global health risks. (2023) Insects. 15(8), 600. doi: 10.3390/insects15080600.
• Martin-Martin, I., Kojin, B. B., Aryan, A., Williams, A. E., Molina-Cruz, A., Valenzuela-Leon, P. C., Shrivastava, G., Botello, K., Minai, M., Adelman, Z. N., Calvo, E. (2023) Aedes aegypti D7 long salivary proteins modulate blood feeding and parasite infection. mBio. 14(6):e0228923. doi: 10.1128/mbio.02289-23.
• Katak, R. M., Cintra, A. M., Burini, B. C., Marinotti, O., Souza-Neto, J. A., Rocha, E. M. (2023) Biotechnological potential of microorganisms for mosquito population control and reduction in vector competence. Insects. 14(9), 718.
• Kojin, B. B., Jakes, E., Biedler, J. K, Tu, Z., Adelman, Z. N. (2022) Partial masculinization of Aedes aegypti females by conditional expression of Nix. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2022 Jul 1;16(7):e0010598. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010598.
• Kojin, B. B., Compton, A., Adelman, Z. N., Tu, Z. (2022) Selective targeting of biting females to control mosquito-borne infectious diseases. Trends Parasitol. Sep;38(9):791-804. doi: 10.1016/j.pt.2022.05.012. Epub 2022 Jun 13. PMID: 35952630; PMCID: PMC9372635.
• Martin-Martin, I., Valenzuela Leon, P. C., Amo, L., Shrivastava, G., Iniguez, E., Aryan, A., Brooks, S., Kojin, B. B, Williams, A. E., Bolland, S., Ackerman, H., Adelman, Z. N., Calvo, E. (2022). Aedes aegypti sialokinin facilitates mosquito blood feeding and modulates host immunity and vascular biology. Cell Rep. Apr 12;39(2):110648. Doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110648.
• Kojin, B. B., Tsujimoto, H., Jakes, E., O’Leary, S., Adelman, Z.A. (2022). Indel Detection following CRISPR/Cas9 Mutagenesis using High-resolution Melt Analysis in the Mosquito Aedes aegypti. J Vis Exp. 2021 Sep 10;(175). Doi: 10.3791/63008.
• Adelman, Z. N., Kojin, B. B. (2021) Malaria-resistant mosquitoes; the principle is
  proven, but will the effectors be effective? J. Med. Entomol. Doi:10.1093/jme/tjab090.
• Kojin, B. B., Martin-Martin, I., Araujo, H. R. C., Bonilla, B., Molina-Cruz, A., Calvo,
  E., Capurro, M. L., Adelman, Z. N. (2021) Aedes aegypti SGS1 is critical for
  Plasmodium gallinaceum infection of both the mosquito midgut and salivary glands.
  Malar J. 20, 11.
• Kojin, B. B., Biedler, J. K., Tu, Z., Adelman, Z. N. (2020) Characterization of a female
  germline and early zygote promoter from the transcription factor bZip1 in the dengue
  mosquito Aedes aegypti. Parasites & Vectors. 13, 353.
• Kojin, B. B., Adelman, Z. N. (2019) The sporozoite’s journey through the mosquito: a
  critical examination of host and parasite factors required for salivary gland invasion.
  Front. Ecol. Evol. 7, 284.
• Araujo H. R. C., Kojin B. B., Capurro, M. L. (2018) Sex Determination and Aedes
  population control. Parasites & Vectors. 11 (2), 644.
• Carvalho, D. O., Chuffi, S., Ioshino, R. S., Marques, I. C. S., Fini, R., Costa, M. K.,
  Araujo, H. R. C., Costa-da-Silva, A. L. Kojin, B. B., Capurro, M. L. (2018) Mosquito
  pornoscopy: Observation and interruption of Aedes aegypti copulation to determine
  female polyandric event and mixed progeny. PLos One. 13(3): e0193164.
• Macias, V. M., Jimenez, A. J., Burini-Kojin, B., Pledger, D., Jasinskiene, N., Phong, C.
  H., Chu, K., Fazekas, A., Martin, K., Marinotti, O., James A. A. (2017) nanos-Driven
  expression piggyback transposase induces mobilization of a synthetic autonomous
  transposon in the malaria vector mosquito, Anopheles stephensi. Insect Biochem Mol
  Biol. 87:81-89.
• Costa-da-Silva, A. L., Ioshino, R. S., Araujo, H. R., Kojin, B. B., Zanotto, P. M.,
  Oliveira, D. B., Melo, S. R., Durigon, E. L., Capurro, M. L. (2017) Laboratory Strains
  of Aedes aegypti are competent to Brazilian Zika virus. PLos One. 12(3):e0171951.
• Kojin, B. B., Costa-da-Silva, A. L., Maciel, C., Henriques, D. A., Carvalho, D. O.,
  Martin, K., Marinotti, O., James, A. A., Bonaldo, M. C., Capurro, M. L. (2016)
  Endogenously expressed Circumsporozoite Protein NH2-terminus interfere with
  sporozoite invasion of mosquito salivary gland. Malar J. 15, 153.
• Costa-da-Silva, A. L.; Marinotti, O.; Ribeiro, J. M. C.; Silva, M. C.; Lopes, A. R.; Barros,
  M. S.; Sá-Nunes, A.; Kojin, B. B.; Carvalho, E.; Suesdek, L.; Silva-Neto, M. A. C.;
  Capurro, M. L. (2014) Transcriptome sequencing and developmental regulation of gene
  expression in Anopheles aquasalis. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 8(7).
• Marinotti, O., Ngo, T., Chou, S. P., Kojin, B. B., Nguyen, B., Carballar-Lejarazú, R.,
  Marinotti, P., Walter, M., Gershon, P. D., James, A. A. (2014) Integrated proteomic and
  transcriptomic analysis of the Aedes aegypti eggshell. BMC Dev Biol. 14:15.
• Costa-da-Silva, A. L., Carvalho, D. O., Kojin, B. B., Capurro, M. L. (2014)
  Implementation of the Artificial Feeders in Hematophagous Arthropod Research
  Cooperates to the Vertebrate Animal Use Replacement, Reduction and Refinement
  (3Rs) Principle. J Clin Res Bioeth 5.167: 2.
• Costa-da-Silva, A. L., Kojin, B. B., Marinotti, O., James, A. A., Capurro, M. L. (2013)
  Expression and accumulation of the two-domain odorant-binding protein AaegOBP45
  in the ovaries of blood-fed Aedes aegypti. Parasites & Vectors 6: 364.
• Wilke, A.B. B.; Nimmo, D. D.; John, O. S., Kojin, B. B., Capurro, M. L., Marelli, M. T.
  (2009) Mini-review: genetic enhancements to the sterile insect technique to control
  mosquito populations. AsPac J Mol Biol Biotechnol 17.3: 65-74.
• Capurro, M de L.; Ribolla, P. E. M.; Bianchi, A. G.; Marelli, T. M; Caroci, A. S.;
  Magalhães, M.; Feitosa, F. M.; Chinoca, J. P.; Kojin, B. B. (2001) Mosquitos
  Transgênicos - Controle da transmissão de malária e dengue. Biotecnologia ciência &
  desenvolvimento, Brasil, p. 26 – 31.