In a groundbreaking development that offers hope for malaria control, a Burkinabe scientist, Dr Abdoulaye Diabate, has developed a novel technique that could potentially eradicate malaria-transmitting mosquito species by altering their genes. 

Diabate, head of medical entomology and parasitology at Burkina Faso's Research Institute in Health Sciences, was recently awarded the 2023 Falling Walls Prize for Science and Innovation Management for his research, which organisers hailed as "offering hope for malaria control".

Malaria remains a leading cause of death in Burkina Faso, with nearly all of the country's 22 million inhabitants, particularly children, at risk of contracting the mosquito-borne disease. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that malaria claimed nearly 19,000 lives in Burkina Faso in 2021 alone. 

While traditional control methods like insecticide-treated bed nets have helped reduce transmission and deaths, Diabate emphasises the need for innovation due to rising insecticide resistance and the increasing cost of interventions.

"Although bed nets are doing a fantastic job," he told CNN, "we now have widespread insecticide resistance in different mosquito species, specifically those transmitting malaria. This makes it difficult to defeat malaria with these conventional tools."

Gene drive

Enter Diabate's 'game-changer' – a gene drive technology targeting female Anopheles mosquitoes, the primary vectors of malaria. This technique involves releasing sterile genetically modified male mosquitoes, preventing them from producing female offspring when they mate with wild females. Over time, the female mosquito population dwindles, significantly reducing malaria transmission. 

"When the [gene-edited] mosquitoes are released in the field," said Diabate "they will spread across the entire mosquito population and cut malaria transmission right away." He highlights the cost-effectiveness and sustainability of this approach compared to traditional interventions.

However, bringing this technology to fruition requires further research and development. Diabate's research alliance, Target Malaria, conducted the project's first phase in 2019, releasing a batch of sterile male mosquitoes in a controlled environment. While the release wasn't aimed at impacting transmission, it provided valuable data for further development.

Diabate's research isn't the only one exploring gene editing for mosquito control. In 2013, Oxitec, a US biotech company, developed a similar technology targeting the Aedes aegypti mosquito, responsible for yellow fever, dengue, and Zika.

Challenges and ecological concerns

However, Diabate's approach focuses on modifying male mosquitoes, potentially reducing ecological concerns compared to targeting females, which are crucial food sources for other animals. Nevertheless, concerns about the long-term environmental impact of gene drive technology remain, with advocacy groups like Save Our Seeds urging caution and thorough research. 

Recently, a plan to release 200 million genetically modified mosquitoes in Bali and other parts of Indonesia has been met with strong resistance from locals and experts. They are concerned about the possible risks and consequences of the experiment, leading to controversy.

Diabate acknowledges these concerns and assures that they will be "factored into the development process" of the project. He remains dedicated to his lifelong fight against malaria, a disease that has deeply impacted his personal life.

"Malaria has affected every aspect of my personal life," he said. "I have therefore decided to dedicate my life to fighting this disease that stifles the development of Africa and breaks the future of millions of African lives."