Research Institutes, Centres and Units - Universiti Sains Malaysia

Vector Control Research Unit
The School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) has been conducting
research activities on vector biology and control especially those of mosquitoes and
urban insect pests since 1972. Special attention was given to mosquito species which
are vectors of many dreaded diseases of mankind such as dengue, filariasis, malaria
and Japanese encephalitis. Due to the growing importance and awareness of crawling
insect pests in the country in recent years, research have expanded to include studies
in urban entomology. Molecular and biochemical research have also been initiated.
Since 1975, the Unit has received more than 80 research grants totalling more than
US$6 million from governmental and international organisations such as the World
Health Organisation (WHO) and multinational pesticide industries. These grants are
used to conduct basic and applied researches on vectors and urban insect pests. In
recognition of the research and training activities, the university established a separate
entity for the research group and named it the VECTOR CONTROL RESEARCH
UNIT (VCRU) at the Penang Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia as of 1 October 1991.
Facilities
• VCRU is based in a 3½ storey building (1824.5m²). The administrative office, a
molecular entomology laboratory and an urban pest laboratory are located on
the first floor with a bioassay lab located on the ground floor.
• WHO drug resistance kit laboratory, an insect museum and three insectariums
(for the culture of eight species of mosquitoes, seven species of cockroaches, ants,
houseflies and more than 60 insecticide-resistant strains of German cockroaches)
are located on the second level.
• Laboratory for the preparation and distribution of WHO test kits for monitoring
insecticide resistance, household insecticide testing laboratory with test chambers
and an insecticide analysis laboratory (equipped with gas chromato-graphy and
other related analysis equipments) are located on the third level.
• VCRU is well equiped with:
I. Pesticides spraying equipment: space spray (cold fogger: ULV/Thermal fogging)
and larvicides spray (pressurised knapsack sprayers)
II. Equipment for biochemical and molecular studies (electrophoresis, centrifuge,
PCR machine and other biochemical equipment).
III. Equipment for environmental parameter studies (water quality analysis kit,
anaemometer, thermo-hygrometer and others).
• Three vehicles.