At ACEME, our mission is to empower African scientists to lead the fight against vector-borne diseases, such as malaria, which heavily affect the African continent. To do so, we are working to set up a platform where researchers will be able to learn advanced skills in molecular engineering and contribute to the development of innovative tools to control disease vectors, such as malaria mosquitoes.
A key step in this journey is strengthening the expertise and technical know-how of our team of researchers in Mali. Through a capacity-building partnership with Keele University, I have had the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in genetic engineering, mastering advanced techniques that will be instrumental to our work at ACEME.
While our team at the University of Sciences, Techniques, and Technologies of Bamako/Malaria Research and Training Center(USTTB/MRTC) has extensive experience handling both genetically modified and wild mosquitoes – including rearing, breeding and maintaining mosquito colonies – this collaboration will help us to further our expertise in the development of genetically modified mosquitoes as a potential tool to control mosquito-borne diseases. More importantly, it will help us work towards building capacity in molecular engineering expertise across the continent and prepare to train the next generation of African scientists.
In 2024, following approval from the relevant regulatory authorities, our team at USTTB/MRTC imported a strain of non-genetically modified mosquitoes called “G3” from Keele University. We will first be working to modify this strain by introducing fluorescent markers (these will be visible within predefined cells and tissues of the modified insects). Eventually, our aim is to use CRISPR technologies to insert similar genetic markers into specific genomic sequences, in order to disrupt the function of genes required for mosquito reproduction.
In the past few years, I have been travelling regularly to Keele University to pursue my PhD in Entomology and returning every year to our laboratories in Bamako to apply my learnings. My thesis is focused on the genetic manipulation of reproductive genes in Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes – one of the main vectors of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. I am investigating an approach which could be leveraged to reduce the number of these mosquitoes and therefore reduce malaria transmission. One of the key things I learned during my work at Keele so far is the use of computational tools to design genetic constructs to introduce or alter genes in mosquitoes, such as inserting fluorescent markers or targeting specific genes with CRISPR/Cas9, which are also broadly applicable to other gene editing applications beyond insects. These steps involve precise planning and simulations, bridging theory and practice before moving to hands-on laboratory work.
For those who like me grew up in a malaria-endemic country, vector-borne diseases are more than a set of statistics – they are personal. I have endured malaria’s debilitating symptoms and witnessed countless friends and family members battle the disease multiple times. Genetic approaches for vector control, such as genetically modified mosquitoes, offer a promising approach in the fight against these diseases. By embracing innovations and scientific advancements, we can take meaningful steps towards a healthier future.
