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Briefing
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- Fertility Reducing Genes – Imperial College London research team aiming to reduce populations of malaria-transmitting mosquitoes
- Genetically-Modified Mosquitoes – Edited gene of species anopheles gambiae that disrupts egg production in female mosquitoes using CRISPR technology
- Long-Term Transmission – Transmitted gene is passed down to generations, affecting 99% of offspring, ensuring long-term mosquito population reduction
- $44 Million in Funding – Project funded with $44 million from Gates Foundation
- Mosquito Dispersion – Mosquitoes with disruptive gene could be released in 2029 in sub-Saharan Africa, or by 2018, according to Bill Gates, if regulation and procedures governing gene drives are in place and Africa agrees to adopt the technology
- Ethical Concerns – Include wiping out a mosquito species, potentially disrupting ecosystems, rise of new epidemic if edited gene affects other insects, and questions of whether a country, group or individual has right to alter nature
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Accelerator
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Sector
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Healthcare/Health Sciences
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Organization
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Imperial College London
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Source
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Herper, M., "Bill Gates: Some people think eradicating mosquitoes with genetics is scary, but I don't think it will be",
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Dunning, H., "Modified mosquitoes could help fight against malaria",
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Regalado, A., "The extinction invention",
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Callaway, E., "Mosquitoes engineered to pass down genes that would wipe out their species",
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AcceleratingBiz analysis
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Original Publication Date
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April 13, 2016
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