Imperial startup Biocentis to develop genetic tech to control harmful insects

The Imperial startup was founded in 2022 by Imperial researchers in partnership with technology-focused investment group Neurone to create a more effective and sustainable alternative to pesticides. While insects play an essential role in the global ecosystem, among the planet’s millions of insect species are some that spread devastating human diseases such as Dengue Fever and Zika virus, exacerbate food insecurity by spoiling up to 25% of crops, and reduce biodiversity by invading new ecosystems to the detriment of local species. At present, these harmful insect populations are controlled primarily with pesticides. But the growth of pesticide resistance is prompting control programmes to increase the dose and frequency of the toxic chemicals, causing increasing harm to bees and other non-target species.