A team of scientists, including researchers at UC San Diego and Johns Hopkins University, has developed a gene-editing method to block mosquitoes from spreading malaria. The breakthrough involves changing a single molecule within mosquitoes, which stops the transmission process.
Mosquitoes are responsible for the deadliest animal on Earth, infecting 263 million people with malaria in 2023 alone, resulting in nearly 600,000 deaths – mostly children. Traditional efforts to combat the disease have been hindered by insecticide resistance and increased resistance to malaria drugs.
The research team modified mosquito genes to prevent them from passing on the parasite when they bite. The key is a switch in a single amino acid that prevents the malaria parasite from reaching the mosquito’s salivary glands, which is essential for transmission.
In testing, the researchers found that the genetically altered mosquitoes exhibited similar fitness and reproduction rates as those with the original gene. To spread the resistance trait throughout populations, the team developed an “allelic-drive” technique that allows mosquitoes to genetically inherit the altered allele.
This breakthrough offers a promising approach to controlling malaria, which could be adapted in real-world strategies. Further research is needed to understand why the single amino acid switch is so effective and how it prevents parasite migration within the mosquito.
Source: https://timesofsandiego.com/health/2025/07/23/ucsd-discovery-called-game-changer-in-fight-against-malaria