Herieth Mahenge is a research scientist at Ifakara Health Institute with a strong interest in understanding the natural dynamics of mosquito populations and their interactions with other organisms in the environment. This is essential for improving vector surveillance and implementing effective control strategies like biological control targeting mosquito populations while minimizing negative environmental impacts.

Herieth began her research career as a MSc student at Ifakara Health Institute in 2021. In 2023 she obtained her MSc in Public Health Research from the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, where her focus was to understand the impact of predators that coexist with Anopheles funestus in their aquatic habitats they could be used as one of the complementary tool for controlling mosquitos in the future.

Throughout her career, she has been involved in numerous projects activities that helped to improve her research skills including protocol and experiment designing, taxonomic identification of mosquito and aquatic predators, field collection of larvae and adult mosquitoes, statistical and geospatial analysis, mosquito dissections and community engagement activities.

Currently, Herieth is working under the Climate Buzz Project where she is actively involved in investigating the association between land use patterns, elevation, climate change, and the risks of mosquito-borne diseases in southeastern Tanzania.

Her interest also includes understanding the Environmental DNA analysis because it might contribute to the early detection of both native and invasive species, monitoring of endangered species, and assessment of ecosystem health and biodiversity.