Each year, 263 million people contract malaria and 600,000 die from it worldwide. Malaria[1] spreads when an infected mosquito bites a person. Researchers have discovered a method to alter an amino acid in the mosquitoes, preventing the disease from reaching their salivary glands, the site of transmission. Their report in Nature[2]  details the use of CRISPR gene editing to modify the mosquito’s genome, changing the amino acid.

This genome change can then be disseminated through the mosquito population using a gene drive, which ensures that a specific mutation or gene is inherited by all offspring. Gene drive technology is controversial due to potential unforeseen negative impacts. A minor genomic change could lead to mutations in other parts of the genome, causing unintended changes that might disrupt the ecosystem’s balance.

The researchers hope to release these engineered mosquitoes into the wild and eventually eliminate the transmission of malaria. However, it will take several years before this technique is ready for field testing, which requires community and government approval.