Africa-Press – Tanzania. In a landmark study published in the journal Nature, scientists from the Ifakara Health Institute (IHI) and the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR), in collaboration with Imperial College London through the Transmission Zero programme, have successfully developed genetically modified mosquitoes in Tanzania that prevent the spread of malaria.
Speaking about the study on December 10 in Bagamoyo District, Pwani Region, IHI Programme Director Dr Dickson Wilson Lwetoijera said this is the first time mosquitoes engineered using “gene drive” technology have been developed in Africa by African scientists, targeting malaria parasites circulating in local communities.
“We are proud to be leading this innovation right here at home, using cutting-edge technology to tackle one of the continent’s greatest public health challenges,” he said.
According to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) World Malaria Report, Tanzania is among four countries worldwide that account for more than half of all malaria deaths, with approximately 93 percent of the population at risk of infection.
Traditional interventions such as insecticide-treated bed nets and indoor residual spraying have saved millions of lives, but they are now facing challenges including rising insecticide resistance and rapid population growth.
The study, conducted at the Modular Portable Laboratory and the high-security Containment Level 3 facility at the IHI campus, is expected to bring a major transformation in the global fight against malaria.
Professor George K. Christophides of Imperial College London said the work is not only about technology, but also about leadership, accountability, and collaboration.
Research journey
In 2023, Transmission Zero researchers produced the very first genetically modified mosquitoes in Africa, here in Tanzania. The current study offers a new solution by altering the genes of Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes—the main carriers of malaria—to block the development of malaria parasites, thereby reducing their ability to transmit the disease.
These genetic changes can be inherited from one mosquito generation to the next—in short, the mosquitoes continue to exist, but can no longer transmit malaria.
“These results in Anopheles gambiae mark the beginning of expanding this technology to other key mosquito species such as Anopheles arabiensis and Anopheles funestus, and even to mosquitoes that transmit diseases like dengue and chikungunya,” said Dr Lwetoijera.
According to Dr Lwetoijera, the research was conducted entirely under strictly controlled laboratory conditions and not in open environments.
“Scientists combined malaria-fighting traits—molecules naturally derived from frogs and bees—into local mosquito species. The modified mosquitoes completely blocked the development of Plasmodium falciparum, the parasite responsible for malaria in Africa, thereby creating a critical barrier to transmission.”
However, Dr Lwetoijera noted that despite these encouraging results, the next steps include comprehensive risk assessments, consultations with regulators, and community engagement to ensure the safety, effectiveness, and acceptance of the technology.
Dr Nikolai Windbichler, Head of Genetics Research at Imperial College London, said the aim of the study is to provide a new tool that will help strengthen existing approaches to eliminating malaria in Africa.
