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The Challenge

Every year, malaria infects over 200 million people and kills over half a million, according to . A third of the world is at risk of contracting this disease transmitted by mosquitoes. Most of the victims are children under the age of five living in Africa.

Target Malaria is a not-for-profit research consortium that aims to develop and share new, cost-effective, and sustainable genetic technologies, such as , to modify mosquitoes and reduce malaria transmission.

From selfish genes to genetically modified mosquitoes

Target Malaria began in 2005 as a university research programme, led by , Professor of Evolutionary Genetics. Professor Burt is known for his work on “selfish” genetic elements, including homing endonuclease genes (HEGs). He is regarded as one of the leading voices in the responsible development of gene drive technologies. His research focuses on how gene drive mosquitoes could be used to reduce malaria-transmitting mosquito populations and thereby interrupt disease transmission. Professor Burt leads research on mathematical and computational modelling to advance understanding of evolutionary genetics, population dynamics, and vector‑control strategy.

Target Malaria at ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ 

³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ is the host institution for the Target Malaria consortium, funded by the Gates Foundation. The project is part of ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ’s Faculty of Natural Sciences, in the Department of Life Sciences. Three ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ laboratories are connected to Target Malaria:

• The Burt Lab, headed by Professor Burt and located on the Silwood Park campus, specialises in gene drive design and theory, population modelling, ecological forecasting, and genetic control strategies.
• The at the South Kensington campus, where genetically modified mosquitoes are developed. The Crisanti lab team was the first in the world to develop gene drive mosquitoes and to demonstrate that they were able to reduce mosquito population in small cages.
• The Malaria Modelling Group at the White City campus develops mathematical modelling approaches linking impacts of gene drives on vector populations to malaria control impacts in human populations. It is a multidisciplinary group that specialises in diverse themes in malaria control including diagnostics, vaccines and novel vector control tools.

³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ is one of the world’s leading institutions in gene drive research. Only a handful of research teams work in this field globally, and two of them, Target Malaria and Transmission Zero, are based at ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ.

An international collaboration to innovate and end malaria

Target Malaria has partnered with a diverse network of leading academic, research, and public health institutions across Africa, Europe, and North America to advance innovative and responsible approaches to malaria control. In Africa, Target Malaria is currently partnering with the in Entebbe.

To investigate the potential of genetic technologies as vector control tools, Target Malaria conducted the first release of genetically modified mosquitoes in Africa in July 2019 in Burkina Faso, after obtaining regulatory approvals and community agreement. The results of the release were published in 2022 in the journal . This was the first time genetically modified mosquitoes were released in Africa.

Malaria is facing the perfect storm with increasing resistance to insecticides and drugs, decreased funding, and climate change. As a result, malaria cases and deaths are on the rise again. Target Malaria’s goal is to find solutions to fight this disease so that it stops destroying lives, families, and economies in Africa. Our vision is to contribute to a world free of malaria.  

For more information, visit .

Cover photo caption: Mosquito larvae are screened in a Petri dish in the lab. Photo credit: Target Malaria

Key Academics