Developing New Tools for Malaria Control in Africa

Guest Speaker: Hector Quemada, Western Michigan University

*UPDATE- This seminar has been canceled for the 4/3/20 date but will take place in the Fall 2020 semester. Please check at a later time for details on date and location.*

Developing New Tools for Malaria Control in Africa

Malaria is a disease that has been eliminated in the developed world. However, the World Health Organization estimates that the disease causes the death of 435,000 people each year, largely in Africa. Every two minutes, a child dies from this preventable and curable disease.  Progress in reducing malaria on the African continent is slowly being made but appears to be stagnating.  New tools to completely eliminate the disease in Africa are needed.  Among these tools are genetic engineering technologies that are designed either to reduce the population of malaria-carrying mosquitoes or reduce their ability to transmit the parasite.  While showing promise, genetic engineering remains controversial and is a highly regulated area of research and development.  African countries, where the new technologies are projected to have the most benefit, are also the most in need of the regulatory infrastructure and capacity to evaluate and decide whether these new tools are appropriate and balance the risks and benefits.