https://omny.fm/shows/knxam-on-demand/uc-san-diego-using-genetically-modified-mosquitoes
Researchers at UC San Diego are working on genetic modifying technology .. that could eventually wipe-out much of the world's "malaria-carrying mosquitoes." UCSD biologist Omar Akbari tells KNX .. they're genetically altering male mosquitoes - to take aim at their female counterparts. Akbari says .. they are honing in on just a few mosquito species - that carry and spread malaria .. so it's NOT about wiping-out ALL female mosquitoes. For the first time in at least 20-years, malaria cases are spreading in states like Florida, Texas and Minnesota.
University Host Session: Endemic and emerging infectious diseases throughout the world are a persistent threat to US military, and biological and chemical weapons are a threat to all. Innovations at the intersection of engineering, biological, chemical and life sciences provide opportunities for detection of pathogens and novel methods of treatment delivery modalities. This session presents an array of research breakthroughs is dealing with pathogens: detecting them in the air (bio/chemical weapons), combating their drug resistance and eradicating insect-borne diseases with the help of gene editing, and employing plant viruses as prefabricated nanoparticles in treatments of infectious diseases and cancer. Additionally, ideas for steering chemical reactions using interacting photons and excited electrons in optical resonators will be presented.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwmD32KrgOA&list=PL6wMum5UsYvaQ5CCEFd4I6noNtOsPKwc0&index=13 HighlightsGene-editing technologies have been used to mutate multiple sensory receptors, and their roles in mosquito behaviors have been established.
The genomes of mosquitoes have also been modified to encode fluorescent labeling markers and sensors of neuronal activities. Single cell RNA-sequencing has expanded the repertoire of potential driver lines that can be engineered to investigate mosquito higher brain centers. The establishment of alternative binary expression systems will further resolve the spatiotemporal control of gene expression. The design and implementation of synaptic sensors can further highlight the details of the neural pathways triggering specific odor-evoked mosquito behaviors. The establishment of such novel genetic tools can set the stage for the development of strategies of behavioral manipulation to reduce bites and disease transmission. Read more here: https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1g6sncQbJ3j46 |
Archives
August 2023
|