Lecture Notes on Malaria and Gene Drive Technology

Introduction

• Host: Abdoulaye Diabaté, Medical Entomologist from l'Institut de Recherche en Science de la Santé.
• Personal anecdote about mosquitoes and childhood experience with malaria.

Background on Malaria

• Malaria is as old as humankind.
• Historically a global public health issue; successfully reduced in the US and Europe.
• Still a major issue in Africa and Asia, with 200 million cases and about 600,000 deaths annually.
• Majority of deaths occur in Africa, affecting mainly children and pregnant women.

Personal Connection to Malaria

• Diabaté shares personal childhood experience as a malaria survivor.
• Highlights the emotional and psychological impact of malaria on families.

Complexity of Malaria

• Malaria involves three complex components:
  1. Plasmodium (the pathogen)
  2. Anopheles (the mosquito vector)
  3. Humans (the victims)
• Current interventions (vaccines, bed nets, treatments) face challenges of resistance and logistical issues.

Gene Drive Technology

• Gene Drive: A natural mechanism that increases the likelihood of a gene being passed on to next generation beyond normal inheritance (up to 90%).
• Focus on doublesex gene affecting female mosquito fertility:
  • Males with the modified gene remain unaffected.
  • Females with two copies cannot lay eggs, reducing population.
• Predictions indicate stopping malaria transmission within 20 generations (approximately 2 years).

Challenges and Risks of Gene Drive

• Gene drive has not been tested in Africa; concerns include:
  • Resistance development in mosquitoes.
  • Compliance across national borders.
  • Environmental risks.
  • Community acceptance and understanding of technology.
• Incremental approach:
  1. Test non-gene-drive mosquitoes first.
  2. Gradually increase exposure to the modified genes in controlled environments before open release.

Timeline for Release

• Estimated 4-5 years to prepare for gene drive release.
• Community engagement is crucial for gaining social license to operate.
• Engagement strategy includes working from local village levels to government officials.

Capacity Building

• Need for local expertise to manage gene drive technology effectively.
• Establishing a World Bank-funded center of excellence for vector-borne diseases in Burkina Faso.
• Building a network of next-generation scientists across Africa with support from the Gates Foundation.

Conclusion

• Importance of addressing malaria for a hopeful future for children in Africa.
• Vision for a malaria-free world and commitment to making it happen.
• Closing affirmation: "Yes, we can."