Krijn Paaijmans
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Phone: 480-965-2139
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Life Sciences E (LSE) Rm. 409. MC: 1701 Tempe, AZ 85287
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Mail code: 4501Campus: Tempe
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Krijn Paaijmans is an interdisciplinary scientist working at the intersection of ecology, engineering, climate science and global health. His research investigates how climate variability, environmental change and the biology of parasites, viruses and insect vectors shape infectious disease risk. By integrating ecological understanding with engineering, technology development and translational science, his team develops innovative solutions that strengthen infectious disease surveillance, prevention and control.
His research combines fundamental studies of vector biology with the design and evaluation of next-generation surveillance and intervention strategies. By investigating mosquito development, behaviour and vector competence, his group develops nature-inspired approaches that improve vector monitoring, reduce disease transmission and lessen reliance on conventional insecticides. The overarching goal is to translate biological insight into practical, scalable solutions that increase the resilience of communities facing emerging and climate-sensitive infectious diseases.
Paaijmans leads an internationally connected research programme spanning laboratory, semi-field and field experimentation across the United States and southern Africa. At Arizona State University, his laboratory integrates engineering, ecology and entomology through advanced insectary facilities (ACL2+/BSL3), an engineering laboratory and dedicated flight arenas that support the development and evaluation of innovative vector surveillance and control technologies. Research is complemented by field studies in the Sonoran Desert, a unique natural laboratory for understanding how extreme heat, drought and urbanization influence mosquito ecology and disease risk.
As Honorary Professor at the University of the Witwatersrand, he collaborates with the Wits Research Institute for Malaria (WRIM) to evaluate new interventions using diverse Anopheles colonies representing multiple insecticide-resistance mechanisms. In Mozambique, he works closely with the Manhiça Health Research Centre (CISM), where his team combines insectary studies, experimental hut trials and field surveillance to evaluate innovative interventions under operational conditions. Together with CISM, the Mozambican Ministry of Health and international partners, he helps translate scientific innovation into evidence-based public health practice while strengthening research capacity across southern Africa.
His research is organized around four interconnected themes:
- Climate, Environmental Change, and Vector-Borne Diseases
- Vector Surveillance and Disease Ecology
- Innovation in Vector Surveillance and Control Technologies
- Evidence-Based Vector Control Policy and Practice.
Professor Paaijmans welcomes students, postdoctoral fellows and collaborators interested in interdisciplinary research at the interface of climate science, ecology, engineering and global health, with applications ranging from infectious disease surveillance and vector control to technology development and implementation science.
2003-2007 PhD in Medical Entomology
Wageningen University, The Netherlands
Meteorology and Air Quality | Laboratory of Entomology
1997-2002 BSc and MSc in Biology
Wageningen University, The Netherlands
