In late May, I had the privilege of being invited to the Gordon Malaria Research Conference in Barcelona, where I moderated a session on “Repurposing Tools to Enhance Malaria Control” and delivered a keynote presentation titled “The Renaissance of Genetic Vector Control.” This was a valuable opportunity to present the work of ACEME and to explore ongoing research to develop genetically modified mosquitoes as a tool for malaria control.
As a well-recognized gathering not to be missed by leading experts in malaria vaccine development, the meeting featured stimulating and encouraging presentations on next-generation malaria vaccines—some targeting multiple parasite stages simultaneously and promising improved efficacy against the disease.
Engaging with researchers working on other facets of malaria control is a vital aspect of our work. It is through these broader discussions that one can gauge how familiar others are with new tools such as gene drive technologies, their views on how such interventions could fit within integrated malaria control programmes, and their concerns or misconceptions. This engagement is especially valuable because these colleagues are well aware of the malaria burden, the growing resistance to some of the available interventions, and the urgent need for novel solutions.
My presentation focused on the renewed interest in genetic approaches for the control of mosquito vectors, highlighting the substantial investments being made in this field. I traced the origins of genetic vector control back to the sterile insect technique (SIT), noting its early successes in controlling pests like the screwworm and fruit flies, as well as its more limited results with Anopheles mosquitoes. I also emphasized how SIT-based programmes are regaining momentum, particularly for the control of Aedes mosquito species which transmit dengue.
I then shared an overview of ongoing research on genetic approaches targeting African malaria mosquitoes, contrasting the different gene drive strategies under development—namely population suppression and population modification .
I finished by emphasizing that in a context marked by growing resistance to insecticides and increasing emphasis on sustainability, genetic vector control offers great versatility and new perspectives for mosquito and disease control.
The audience’s questions focused on ecological implications of potential releases and comparisons with other strategies, such as those leveraging Wolbachia bacteria to control dengue-transmitting mosquitoes .
Notably, another keynote by Jeremy Herren (ICIPE, Kenya) addressed vector control via mosquitoes infected with entomopathogenic microsporidia, while Zachary Stavrou-Dowd (LSTM) presented research on bloodmeal metabolism gene targets for genetic approaches for mosquito control. The fact that three of the few vector control talks which took place during the conference focused on mosquito release strategies suggests the field is dynamic and gaining visibility.
Interestingly, genetically modified mosquitoes frequently appeared on background slides of parasitologists and malariologists throughout the meeting—an encouraging sign that progress in this field is being acknowledged within the broader malaria research community.
Overall, it was a highly valuable meeting in a beautiful and sunny setting. The organisers—Faith Osier (Imperial College, UK), Prasanna Jagannathan (Stanford University, US), and Marta Maia (KEMRI, Kenya)—did an outstanding job bringing together experts across career stages and from diverse backgrounds. I recommend this meeting highly and I am very much looking forward to the next edition.
