Articles on Gene drive

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Gene drives aim to deliberately spread bad genes when invasive species such as mice reproduce. Colin Robert Varndell/shutterstock.com

August 8, 2017

‘Gene drives’ could wipe out whole populations of pests in one fell swoop

Thomas Prowse, University of Adelaide; Joshua Ross, University of Adelaide; Paul Thomas, University of Adelaide, and Phill Cassey, University of Adelaide

Releasing just 100 mice carrying a faulty gene designed to stop them reproducing can remove an entire population of 50,000, a new study shows, paving the way for new eradication efforts.

Gene drives could prove useful for controlling mosquitoes which spread diseases like malaria, dengue and zika virus. from www.shutterstock.com

May 5, 2017

Gene drives may cause a revolution, but safeguards and public engagement are needed

Rachel A. Ankeny, University of Adelaide and Ary Hoffmann, University of Melbourne

A broad process of communication and consultation should be initiated before gene drives are applied to control pests and diseases in Australia.

Taking the deadly bit out of mosquitoes. Flickr/Erik F Brandsborg

November 24, 2016

Now we can edit life itself, we need to ask how we should use such technology

Charles Robin, University of Melbourne

It's possible to alter the make-up of a species such as a mosquito's ability to pass on the deadly malaria parasite. But we need to consider the pros and cons of such gene editing technology.

Sorting pupae of genetically modified mosquitoes before release to the wild. Paulo Whitaker/Reuters

February 3, 2016

Three ways synthetic biology could annihilate Zika and other mosquito-borne diseases

Andrew Maynard, Arizona State University

Insecticides and mosquito nets only get you so far. Synthetic biologists are ready to take the battle against mosquito-borne disease to the level of DNA – which might spell the insects’ ultimate doom.

November 26, 2015

Explainer: what is a gene drive and how could it wipe out malaria?

Michael Bonsall, University of Oxford

New genetic technology could change the DNA of entire species to prevent them from spreading diseases.

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Ary Hoffmann
Professor, School of BioSciences and Bio21 Institute, University of Melbourne
Rachel A. Ankeny
Professor of History, University of Adelaide
Thomas Prowse
Postdoctoral research fellow, School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Adelaide
Charles Robin
Senior Lecturer, School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne
Andrew Maynard
Director, Risk Innovation Lab, Arizona State University
Phill Cassey
Assoc Prof in Invasion Biogeography and Biosecurity, University of Adelaide
Joshua Ross
Associate Professor in Applied Mathematics, University of Adelaide
Michael Bonsall
Professor of Mathematical Biology, University of Oxford
Paul Thomas
University of Adelaide