Dr. Alexandra Chaskopoulou earned her PhD from the University of Florida (UF) in 2010 with a specialty in Medical & Veterinary Entomology. Upon graduation Alex worked as a researcher at UF and in 2014 accepted a new position as a research scientist with the European Biological Control Laboratory of the USDA-ARS in her home country Greece. Her primary research is focused on developing novel approaches for the surveillance and management of arthropod vectors of medical and veterinary importance (such as mosquitoes, sand flies and ticks). Her research interests include epidemiology of vector borne diseases, vector ecology, and vector management technologies.

Throughout her career Dr. Chaskopoulou has worked with a diverse group of academic, governmental and private institutions on a global basis with a focus on the United States and Europe. She has mentored >40 students, published >60 peer-reviewed manuscripts, technical articles and book chapters, and developed new vector surveillance and control technologies.

Dr. Chaskopoulou has been an active member of scientific societies since she was a student and it was from those early years in her career that she valued the role of academic scientific networks in connecting professionals from across the world, and most importantly in enhancing communication between young and established researchers while enriching awareness of opportunities in the field of medical and veterinary entomology. In 2010 she founded the American Mosquito Control Association Young Professionals Group where she served as a president for 2 years and she currently serves as the President of the Society for Vector Ecology.

Current Research Projects at EBCL

• Evaluate novel and optimize existing biting arthropod surveillance tools for increasing treatment-precision and quality assessment of vector control applications (targets: mosquitoes, sand flies, ticks).
• Evaluate novel and optimize existing biting arthropod control strategies under field conditions (targets: mosquitoes, sand flies)
• Optimize molecular xenomonitoring systems for the surveillance of arthropod-borne diseases under field conditions (target pathogen: West Nile virus)

Selected Publications

Alexandra Chaskopoulou's publications

• Sofia M, Giannakopoulos A, Giantsis IA, Touloudi A, Birtsas P, Papageorgiou K, Athanasakopoulou Z, Chatzopoulos DC, Vrioni G, Galamatis D, Diamantopoulos V, Mpellou S, Petridou E, Kritas SK, Palli M, Georgakopoulos G, Spyrou V, Tsakris A, Chaskopoulou A, Billinis C. 2022. West Nile Virus Occurrence and Ecological Niche Modeling in Wild Bird Species and Mosquito Vectors: An Active Surveillance Program in the Peloponnese Region of Greece.  10(7):1328. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10071328
• Balaska S, Fotakis EA, Chaskopoulou A, Vontas J. 2021. Chemical control and insecticide resistance status of sand fly vectors worldwide. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 15(8): e0009586. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0009586.
• Chaskopoulou A, Braks M, Bortel WV. 2020. Vector control practices and strategies against West Nile virus (WNV). European Center for Disease Control & Prevention (ECDC). Stockholm. https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications-data/vector-control-practices-and-strategies-against-west-nile-virus
• Fotakis EA, Giantsis IA, Avgerinou A, Kourtidis S, Agathaggelidou E, Kapoula C, Dadakou G, Vontas J, Chaskopoulou A. 2019. Identification of Leishmania species in naturally infected sand flies from refugee camps, Greece. Emerg Infect Dis. 25(2): 361-364.
• Giantsis IA, Chaskopoulou A. Broadening the tools for studying sand fly breeding habitats: A novel molecular approach for the detection of phlebotomine larval DNA in soil substrates. Acta Tropica 190: 123-128.
• Chaskopoulou A, Miaoulis M, Kashefi J. 2018. Ground ultra-low volume space spray applications for the control of wild sand fly populations in Europe. J Med Entomol. 182:54-55.
• Parker C, Pereira R, Baldwin R, Chaskopoulou A, Koehler P. 2017. Laboratory evaluation of a novel lethal ovitrap for control of Aedes aegypti. J Med Entomol. 54:1666–1673 doi: 1093/jme/tjx161
• Chaskopoulou A, Giantisi IA, Demir S, Bon MC. 2016. Species composition, activity patterns and blood meal analysis of sand fly populations (Diptera: Psychodidae) in the metropolitan region of Thessaloniki, an endemic focus of canine leishmaniasis. Acta Tropica. 158: 170-176.
• Chaskopoulou A, Dovas CI, Chaintoutis SC, Kashefi J, Koehler PG, Papanastassopoulou M. 2013. Detection and early warning of WNV circulation in Greece using sentinel chickens and mosquitoes. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis. 13:723-732.
• Chaskopoulou, A, Thrasyvoulou A, Goras G, Tananaki C, Latham M, Kashefi J, Pereira R, Koehler PG. 2014. Non-target effects of Aerial Mosquito Adulticiding with Water-based unsynergized pyrethroids on honeybees and other beneficial insects in an agricultural ecosystem of North Greece. J Med Entomol. 51: 720-724.