Makassar, 18 March 2025 – The Department of Parasitology and the Doctoral Program of the Faculty of Medicine, in collaboration with the Master’s Program in Biomedical Sciences at the Graduate School, organized a guest lecture featuring Prof. Noboru Minakawa from the Department of Vector Ecology and Environment, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Japan. The lecture was titled “Predicting Mosquito-Borne Diseases Based on Climate.”

The session was moderated by Dr. Isra Wahid, Ph.D., and was attended by distinguished professors, including Prof. Dr. Syafruddin, Ph.D., and Prof. Dr. Irfan Idris, M.Kes, as well as master’s students from the Graduate School’s Biomedical Sciences Program and doctoral students from the Faculty of Medicine at Hasanuddin University (UNHAS).

During his lecture, Prof. Minakawa elaborated on mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue fever, malaria, and the Zika virus, which remain a growing global health threat. He emphasized the crucial role of environmental factors, particularly climate change, in influencing the transmission patterns of these diseases. Temperature, humidity, and rainfall directly affect mosquito populations and the life cycles of the pathogens they carry.

Prof. Minakawa, who has conducted extensive research on mosquito-borne diseases in various countries, including Africa, explained how environmental factors and climate change impact mosquito populations and disease transmission patterns. Through data-driven analysis and scientific approaches, he demonstrated that climate variations can serve as indicators for predicting vector-borne disease outbreaks.

The lecture provided in-depth insights into how climate-based predictions can enhance disease prevention and control strategies. It is hoped that this session has enriched participants’ understanding of vector ecology, climate change, and mitigation efforts in addressing global public health challenges.