Eleonora Flacio

Eleonora Flacio is a prominent biologist and the head of the Vector Ecology department at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI). She is known for her extensive research and innovative approaches to controlling the invasive Asian tiger mosquito in Southern Switzerland, which poses a risk of transmitting tropical diseases such as dengue and Zika. Flacio first identified this mosquito species in Ticino in 2003, and since then, she has led efforts to monitor and manage its population through community collaboration and experimental techniques, including the release of sterilized male mosquitoes to curb breeding. Her work has been pivotal in reducing mosquito populations and preventing disease transmission in the region.