Dr. Victor S. Mwingira is the head of station of Amani Hill Research Station, which is a constituting station of the Amani Medical Research Centre within the National Institute for Medical Research. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Medical Entomology from Wageningen University in the Netherlands, a post graduate Diploma & Master of advanced studies in Human Ecology from the Free University of Brussels, and a Bachelor of Science degree from the Sokoine University Morogoro.
Dr. Mwingira has an experience of 22 years of research in vector and vector-borne diseases control, population dynamics of vectors, behavioural ecology of vectors with respect to vector control strategies and diseases transmission. Dr. Mwingira has immense experience in the designing and evaluation of vector control tools which includes insecticides, attractants, repellents, deterrents as well as different types of traps for vector control. In addition, Dr. Mwingira has researched on traditional practices of vector control using phytochemicals and the development of therapeutics product from local available ingredients.
Dr. Mwingira has been involved in several research projects funded by Gates foundation, NUFFIC, Sumitomo, IRDC, IVCC, University of Finland, Liverpool, London and Wageningen. He has mentored and supervised 5 MSc and several BSc dissertations in addition to his vast experience in Malaria, Filariasis, Plague, Diarrhoeal and Arboviral diseases. Some of his works in Chemical Ecology of mosquitoes led to the discovery of new pheromones that can attract and/or deter mosquitoes. Discovered olfactory modulators can be used in a push-pull or attract and kill strategy when an attractive pheromone is combined with appropriate biocide. This is a new strategy for the control of mosquito vectors as it can divert mosquitoes from protected resources and/or kill the next generation of mosquitoes without extensive use of insecticides. He has published several articles as first and co-author in peer reviewed journals.
Dr. Mwingira has huge experience in supervising vector and vector-borne diseases control programs. He has previously worked at the TPRI in the capacity of Head of Dar es Salaam Station responsible for supervising procedures for carrying out pesticide business in Tanzania; (issuing importation permit, evaluation and monitoring). At the moment he is serving as the head of Amani Hill Research Station, Chairman of the Tender board sub-committee and Supervisor of all phase II pesticide evaluation processes at Amani Centre. Dr. Mwingira has been acting a position of Centre Manager in several occasions, and represented the Centre Manager in the Institutes’ Management and Council meetings.