An eco-friendly mosquito trap prototype developed at LSTM has been awarded research funding to support its further development.
Dr Fabricio Martins' Mosquito Eco-friendly Light Trap (MELT) has received two rounds of funding through the ICURe DISCOVER and EXPLORE programmes(link is external)(opens in a new tab) The programme, backed by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and Innovate UK, supports UK research with commercial potential through a comprehensive 12-week market exploration phase, providing up to £35,000 to validate business pathways for licensing or spinout.
The MELT project aims to provide a sustainable and innovative approach to public health entomological surveillance by developing a cost-effective, standalone, and energy-efficient eco-friendly mosquito trap. Lab-based tests confirm that MELT is effective against broad mosquitoes’ species.
The Enterprise & Innovation (E&I) Team at LSTM has been instrumental in MELT's development, providing guidance on licensing and spinout options and aligning with LSTM’s support of the University Spin-out Companies review. The E&I team is exploring partnerships and investment opportunities to drive MELT’s deployment globally with a focus on resource-limited settings.
Dr Martins, Entrepreneur Leader and Postdoctoral Research Fellow at LSTM, said: “Inventing MELT at LSTM has been a collaborative journey, drawing on the expertise and support of my colleagues at the Department of Vector Control, LSTM's Enterprise & Innovation Team and the ICURe programme. The ICURe funding allows us to push MELT towards commercialization, validating its real-world impact. This support has been crucial in realizing MELT’s potential as an accessible, eco-friendly mosquito control solution.”
Watch Dr Fabricio Silva Martins - ICURe Explore Options Roundabout (Leeds Jan 2025)