Gene Drive Mosquitoes for Malaria Control: The Governance Challenges

Zoom Only | Gene Drive Mosquitoes for Malaria Control is a short documentary film beautifully shot in Uganda, exploring Ugandan stakeholders’ hopes for gene drive mosquitoes – a radical new tool potentially offering a way to eliminate or change the mosquitoes that cause malaria.

Sarah Hartley, PhD

Professor of Technology Governance at the University of Exeter | Profile Sarah Hartley is a Professor of Technology Governance at the University of Exeter and a Co-Director of the Centre for Doctoral Training in Environmental Intelligence. She is a qualitative social scientist studying efforts to make technology governance more inclusive of a broader range of voices and values through case studies involving global health, sustainable agriculture, and conservation. Current research is focused on gene drive governance, and she has several projects funded by the British Academy and Wellcome exploring engagement, collaboration, and knowledge co-production in gene drive development and risk assessment in Africa, North America, Australia, and Europe. She has recently begun an innovative programme of film-making to stimulate debate on emerging gene drive and AI technologies. She has a PhD in Politics and Environmental Studies (University of Toronto).

Abstract

Gene Drive Mosquitoes for Malaria Control is a beautifully shot documentary filmed in Uganda, exploring the hopes of Ugandan stakeholders for gene drive mosquitoes—a groundbreaking tool that could potentially eliminate or alter the mosquitoes responsible for spreading malaria. Uganda is among the first countries in the world to prepare for field trials of gene drive mosquitoes, with much at stake. Malaria remains one of the most serious public health challenges in Uganda, heavily impacting its people and healthcare system. It is a leading cause of illness and death, particularly affecting children under five and pregnant women. The film is grounded in social science research from the University of Exeter in the UK and Makerere University in Uganda, highlighting the complexities of governing gene drive technology. Related links:

• Gene Drive Governance
• Gene drive mosquitoes designed to eliminate malaria – but governance is complex, new film shows
• Download seminar poster

The Genetic Engineering and Society (GES) Colloquium is a seminar series that brings in speakers to present and stimulate discussion on a variety of topics related to existing and proposed biotechnologies and their place within broader societal changes.

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