UC Davis — Malaria Gene Drive Feasibility Analysis
UC Davis — Malaria Gene Drive Feasibility Analysis
Tags: Africa, Gene drive synthetic, Policy, Population modification/replacement, Risk and safety, Stakeholder engagementGood Ventures, Good Ventures, 2022.
Open Philanthropy recommended a grant of $10,248,967 over three years to UC Davis to support subsequent stages of a feasibility analysis of a potential test of gene drives for malaria control on the adjoining West African islands of São Tomé and Príncipe. The work, led by Dr. Greg Lanzaro and colleagues, will focus on a potential gene drive application that would reduce or inhibit the ability of mosquitoes to transmit the malarial parasite, without impacting the size of the mosquito population on the islands. As part of the preliminary feasibility analysis, which Open Philanthropy supported in February 2020, Dr. Lanzaro’s team developed working relationships with local communities, established an ethics advisory board, developed a communication plan, and conducted appropriate safety tests.
