[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":321},["ShallowReactive",2],{"slug-health-technologies-to-eradicate-insects-transmitting-deadly-diseases":3},{"post":4,"relatedPosts":193,"relatedBooks":320},{"id":5,"date":6,"date_gmt":7,"guid":8,"modified":10,"modified_gmt":11,"slug":12,"status":13,"type":14,"link":15,"title":16,"content":18,"excerpt":21,"author":23,"featured_media":24,"comment_status":25,"ping_status":25,"sticky":26,"template":27,"format":28,"meta":29,"categories":30,"tags":33,"project_category":51,"contact_email_category":52,"yst_prominent_words":53,"class_list":57,"better_featured_image":83,"acf":128,"yoast_meta":137,"_links":140},22475,"2018-12-04T14:00:33","2018-12-04T12:00:33",{"rendered":9},"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F","2022-05-27T10:25:33","2022-05-27T08:25:33","health-technologies-to-eradicate-insects-transmitting-deadly-diseases","publish","post","https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fhealth-technologies-to-eradicate-insects-transmitting-deadly-diseases",{"rendered":17},"Health Technologies To Eradicate Insects Transmitting Deadly Diseases",{"rendered":19,"protected":20},"\n\u003Ctable style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #eee; border-top: 4px solid #444;\" cellpadding=\"5px\">\n\u003Ctbody>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd style=\"width: 100%;\">\n\u003Cp style=\"color: #555;font-size: 12px;line-height: 14px\">THIS ARTICLE HAS NOT BEEN UPDATED SINCE 2018. THE INFORMATION SHARED IN THE ARTICLE WAS ACCURATE AT THE TIME OF ITS PUBLICATION, BUT IT MAY BE OUT OF DATE NOW. \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fmagazine\">BROWSE OUR LATEST ARTICLES HERE\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003C\u002Ftr>\u003C\u002Ftbody>\u003C\u002Ftable>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Drones transporting sterilized male mosquitos, cybernetic dragonflies, genetically modified insects with malaria-resisting traits, supersensitive radars or digital maps: the most innovative methods are deployed in the war on the tiniest but most murderous beasts out there: mosquitos, fleas, ticks carrying infectious diseases. Here’s the latest arsenal of digital technologies to eradicate insects and reduce deadly epidemics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003C!--more-->\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Unusual suspects: mosquitos, fleas, and ticks\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Sharks, bears, tigers, the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fwatch?v=pmu5sRIizdw\">Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog\u003C\u002Fa> in association with sharp teeth and claws represent the traditional image of deadly animals. However, as it turns out, the bloodthirstiest creatures of the animal kingdom are small and for many of us, just annoyances accompanying summer vacations around lakes in the mountains: mosquitos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>These \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.gatesnotes.com\u002FHealth\u002FMost-Lethal-Animal-Mosquito-Week\">tiny little insects – literally “little flies” in Spanish – kill 725,000 people every year by passing over devastating diseases\u003C\u002Fa> caused by viruses or parasites. \u003Cstrong>Their list of sins is rather long: malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever or encephalitis. The worst is malaria, which kills more than 600,000 people every year, while it threatens half of the world’s population and causes billions of dollars in lost productivity annually. However, sandflies, triatomine bugs, black flies, ticks, tsetse flies, mites, snails or lice aren’t better either. \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Cstrong>\u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.who.int\u002Fnews-room\u002Ffact-sheets\u002Fdetail\u002Fvector-borne-diseases\">According to UN figures\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Cstrong>, they are responsible for another 100,000 death per year\u003C\u002Fstrong>; and together with the Mosquito Big Brother, they account for around 17 percent of all infectious diseases.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>There are more than 2,500 species of mosquito, and the little fly lives in every corner of the world except Antarctica. The penguins are the lucky ones, it seems. Moreover, \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Ftheconversation.com\u002Fis-climate-change-causing-a-rise-in-the-number-of-mosquito-and-tick-borne-diseases-105097\">some scientists claim that climate change might come with yet another unpleasant consequence\u003C\u002Fa>: the boost of insect population numbers. Recent examples include the global spread of the mosquito-borne Zika virus, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.thelancet.com\u002Fjournals\u002Flancet\u002Farticle\u002FPIIS0140-6736(16)00256-7\u002Ffulltext\">in which case extreme climatic conditions during one month in several parts of South America in 2015 were followed by the spread of the disease\u003C\u002Fa> to that location the next month.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone wp-image-22478 size-full\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"489\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FMosquito_Tick.jpg\" alt=\"eradicate insects\" class=\"wp-image-22478\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FMosquito_Tick.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FMosquito_Tick-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FMosquito_Tick-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FMosquito_Tick-512x288.jpg 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption>Source: www.kq2.com\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Mosquitos play tricks, bees die\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>That’s why it would be of utmost importance to find effective ways to combat these tiny killers, although that’s not as easy as the little flying creatures are sneaky little disease-transmitters. Mass pesticide spraying is widely used to reduce the mosquito population, even the US Air Force sends their best men against the insect hordes. However, \u003Cstrong>many species \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.isglobal.org\u002Fen\u002Fnew\u002F-\u002Fasset_publisher\u002FJZ9fGljXnWpI\u002Fcontent\u002Fmosquito-el-animal-mas-letal-del-mundo\">have evolved resistance against a variety of widely used insecticides\u003C\u002Fa>. Moreover, some have changed their feeding habits to avoid bed nets inside the homes, what’s more, insecticide-sprayed bed nets and homes\u003C\u002Fstrong>. In many cases, scientists found that the animals changed their feeding habits to avoid getting caught.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>At the same time, bees are unfortunately not that shrewd. \u003Cstrong>These diligent, tiny animals are exposed to pesticides which have been directly sprayed on the plants from which worker bees forage or which are moved by the wind from one area to another\u003C\u002Fstrong>. These \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.mnn.com\u002Fyour-home\u002Forganic-farming-gardening\u002Fstories\u002Fhow-protect-bees-while-getting-rid-mosquitoes\">insecticides can kill the bees even before they make it back to the hive\u003C\u002Fa>, and if they return, they infect their entire colony. To avoid harmful pesticides, but contain \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.who.int\u002Fnews-room\u002Ffact-sheets\u002Fdetail\u002Fvector-borne-diseases\">vector-borne diseases\u003C\u002Fa> – that’s the scientific term for infections transmitted by insects -, scientists are experimenting with various technologies and innovations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-22479\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"489\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FBees-Versus-Mosquitos.jpg\" alt=\"eradicate insects\" class=\"wp-image-22479\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FBees-Versus-Mosquitos.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FBees-Versus-Mosquitos-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FBees-Versus-Mosquitos-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FBees-Versus-Mosquitos-512x288.jpg 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption>Source: www.youtube.com\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Digital maps are not mosquito-friendly\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Nicely drawn \u003Cstrong>electronic maps indicating different pieces of information could help prevent, closely follow or monitor epidemics and\u002For the spread of diseases. Technology is not only able to visualize data but it already “reasons out” grey spots – and thus helps predict events\u003C\u002Fstrong>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In March 2017, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fhealthtechmagazine.net\u002Farticle\u002F2017\u002F03\u002Fdigital-technology-fighting-epidemics\">HealthTech reported\u003C\u002Fa> that the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) was using geographic information systems to track and better combat the Zika virus. The CDC has put out a \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fgeohealth.hhs.gov\u002Farcgis\u002Fhome\u002Fwebmap\u002Fviewer.html?webmap=02a5756e3bcf4f02b34e0579402cbb36&extent=-129.2945,21.8015,-64.3872,51.0007\">publicly available interactive map\u003C\u002Fa> to provide states with information about the spread of the virus. Some scientists went even further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Engadget \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.engadget.com\u002F2017\u002F09\u002F17\u002Fsatellites-help-predict-malaria-outbreaks-months-in-advance\u002F\">reported that\u003C\u002Fa> American researchers \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nasa.gov\u002Ffeature\u002Fgoddard\u002F2017\u002Fusing-nasa-satellite-data-to-predict-malaria-outbreaks\">were using\u003C\u002Fa> data from NASA satellites (such as the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.engadget.com\u002F2016\u002F06\u002F27\u002Fgoogle-earth-maps-higher-quality-imagery\u002F\">Landsat\u003C\u002Fa> series) to predict malaria outbreaks by identifying areas where the soil moisture creates prime breeding grounds for malaria-positive mosquitos. They know that floods and deforestation tend to create mosquito-friendly pools of water – compare that with fine-grained models of human behavior (say, loggers or miners who work in wet conditions) and you have a unified system that can anticipate outbreaks about three months in advance, right down to individual households. How much easier could the fight against the tiny murderers become with predictive maps!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-22480\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"489\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FUsing-NASA-Satellites.png\" alt=\"eradicate insects\" class=\"wp-image-22480\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FUsing-NASA-Satellites.png 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FUsing-NASA-Satellites-370x208.png 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FUsing-NASA-Satellites-768x432.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FUsing-NASA-Satellites-512x288.png 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption>A map showing the rivers of the Peruvian Amazon and surrounding areas. Precipitation and other environmental conditions affect river height, which can impact the number of mosquito breeding sites along their banks. Credit: NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio. Source: https:\u002F\u002Fphys.org\u002Fnews\u002F2017-09-nasa-satellite-malaria-outbreaks.html#jCp\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Data flies to the cloud, insects to the grave\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Researchers in Puerto Rico approach the problem from the other way around. After Hurricane Maria created ideal conditions for mosquito breeding in 2017, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bloomberg.com\u002Fnews\u002Farticles\u002F2018-10-26\u002Fpuerto-rico-is-fighting-zika-with-cloud-technology\">scientists started counting how many females – the sex that bites – are caught in more than 1,300 traps across the island\u003C\u002Fa>. The initiative is also studying insecticide resistance, applying larvicides to breeding sites, and educating residents. The team stores all data on remote Microsoft Azure servers and relies on the cloud to share information quickly between research teams in the field and the laboratory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>While field workers collect mosquitos and pinpoint their locations on a smartphone app, their supervisor can track their workings, and the smart algorithms can analyze the results. Mapping software pulls data from the cloud to determine which traps have attracted the most female A. aegypti – the mosquito species carrying the Zika virus – and to identify the homes where larvicides have been applied. Moreover, they are also using special algorithms to speed up the mind-numbing process of counting mosquito eggs, which are no bigger than grains of salt. The aim is to enable the prevention of Zika-outbreaks in Puerto Rico even before they would take shape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-22481\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"580\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FMosquito_Zika.jpg\" alt=\"eradicate insects\" class=\"wp-image-22481\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FMosquito_Zika.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FMosquito_Zika-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FMosquito_Zika-512x341.jpg 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption>Source: www.vox.com\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Super-sensitive radar might identify whether mosquitos had lunch\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Not only the \u003Cstrong>American troops took up arms against the insects. In March 2018, China was reported to be in the process of \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Cstrong>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.scmp.com\u002Fnews\u002Fchina\u002Fsociety\u002Farticle\u002F2137051\u002Fhow-china-using-military-radar-technology-wage-war-mosquitoes\">developing a super-sensitive radar that can detect the wing-flapping of a mosquito up to 2 km\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Cstrong> (1.2 miles) away\u003C\u002Fstrong>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>After decades of development, modern military radars can now pick up the echoes of small objects at an impressive distance. The \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.naval-technology.com\u002Fprojects\u002Fsea-based-x-band-radar-1-sbx-1\u002F\">US Missile Defence Agency’s sea-based X-band radar\u003C\u002Fa>, for example, can detect a baseball-sized object from about 4,000 km away. Currently, the Chinese believe that super-sensitive detectors could not only sense missiles and aircraft but the wing-beat of insects, too. When the radio waves hit a mosquito, they bounce back with information including species, gender, flying speed and direction, and whether the insect has eaten.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Imagine the radar being positioned to look down on residential areas and used to pinpoint the position of mosquito colonies, their breeding and resting areas. Wouldn’t it be useful if households could be warned about the mosquito hordes through radars beforehand?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-22482\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"326\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FInsects-Fly.png\" alt=\"eradicate insects\" class=\"wp-image-22482\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FInsects-Fly.png 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FInsects-Fly-768x288.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FInsects-Fly-512x192.png 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption>Source: www.knowablemagazine.org\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Smart algorithms are counting, drones are spreading sterile male mosquitos\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Releasing sterile specimen into the wild has proved to be an effective method in decreasing insect populations. Numerous countries experiment with the approach with the help of several technologies\u003C\u002Fstrong>. For example, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.scmp.com\u002Fnews\u002Fchina\u002Fpolicies-politics\u002Farticle\u002F1998255\u002Fchinas-mosquito-factory-aims-wipe-out-zika-dengue-and\">Chinese scientists inject mosquito eggs with Wolbachia bacteria\u003C\u002Fa> in a laboratory, then release infected male mosquitoes on the island on the outskirts of Guangzhou. The bacteria, which occurs naturally in about a quarter of wild mosquitoes, causes infected males to sterilize the females they mate with. The researchers set up a so-called “mosquito-factory” in 2012 to apply the method, and by 2016, the insect population dropped by 90 percent on the island where the scientists released 3 million bacteria-infected little flies every week.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In 2018, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.zdnet.com\u002Farticle\u002Falphabets-verily-takes-its-disease-fighting-automated-sex-sorter-for-mosquitoes-to-queensland\u002F\">Australia’s James Cook University, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, and Alphabet’s Verily\u003C\u002Fa> life biotech division concluded a similar trial. And how could Google’s parent company be of any help? Experts needed to raise 20 million mosquitos for the project to produce the 3 million male insects required for the sterilization process. Verily’s technology helped them sort out the sexes. Last year, Verily participated in a similar project where they \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.zdnet.com\u002Farticle\u002Fgoogles-verily-robot-to-release-millions-of-mosquitos-in-us\u002F\">released one million sterile mosquitos each week in California\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>And while letting out hundreds of thousands of insects assumes a particular method, sometimes it just means that \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bbc.com\u002Fnews\u002Ftechnology-42066518\">scientists release the mosquitos from their backpacks\u003C\u002Fa> or \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bloomberg.com\u002Fnews\u002Ffeatures\u002F2018-11-28\u002Fhow-to-kill-mosquitoes-google-and-verily-have-a-plan\">a van emblazoned with „Debug Fresno” signs\u003C\u002Fa>. As the practice doesn’t allow to spread the animals over vast territories, WeRobotics \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bbc.com\u002Fnews\u002Ftechnology-42066518\">developed special drones for the task\u003C\u002Fa>. You could have never imagined that in your wildest dreams – unmanned aerial vehicles transport sterilized flying creatures as preventive measures against diseases. As odd as it sounds, it works – and thumbs up for many more similar projects to come!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-22483\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"326\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FDrones-Against-Mosquitos.jpg\" alt=\"eradicate insects\" class=\"wp-image-22483\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FDrones-Against-Mosquitos.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FDrones-Against-Mosquitos-768x288.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FDrones-Against-Mosquitos-512x192.jpg 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption>Source: www.droneality.com\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Gene-editing for healthier mosquitos\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.popularmechanics.com\u002Fscience\u002Fa18324\u002Fcrispr-gene-editing-used-to-make-malaria-resistant-mosquitoes\u002F\">Researchers theorized in 2014 that the gene-editing method, CRISPR\u002FCas9 could create mosquitos\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Cstrong> that are almost entirely resistant to the parasite that causes malaria. \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.popularmechanics.com\u002Fscience\u002Fa19067\u002F11-crazy-things-we-can-do-with-crispr-cas9\u002F\">If they used CRISPR to remove a segment of mosquito DNA\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Cstrong>, they would trick the insect’s genetic system into replacing it with an engineered DNA construct\u003C\u002Fstrong>. Some research teams are working on the method, and their efforts are gradually crowned with results.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Ftargetmalaria.org\u002Fwho-we-are\u002F\">Target Malaria\u003C\u002Fa>, a research consortium uniting Imperial College London with partner institutions in Burkina Faso, Mali, Uganda, and Ghana, is currently working with more limited genetic engineering techniques to fight the disease. But they are hoping to apply for approval to test gene drives in the field as soon as 2023. However, there are \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.vox.com\u002Fscience-and-health\u002F2018\u002F5\u002F31\u002F17344406\u002Fcrispr-mosquito-malaria-gene-drive-editing-target-africa-regulation-gmo\">huge ethical and moral issues around gene editing,\u003C\u002Fa> which should be figured out – at least broadly – before the method meddling with the blueprint of life comes into motion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-22484\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"489\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FGene-Edited-Mosquitos.jpg\" alt=\"eradicate insects\" class=\"wp-image-22484\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FGene-Edited-Mosquitos.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FGene-Edited-Mosquitos-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FGene-Edited-Mosquitos-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FGene-Edited-Mosquitos-512x288.jpg 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption>The blue in these mosquitoes shows where genes for resisting malaria parasites will be active.\u003Cbr>Source: www.sciencemag.org\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Cybernetic dragonflies \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>A \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\u002Fpmc\u002Farticles\u002FPMC2821177\u002F\">group of scientists already demonstrated\u003C\u002Fa> the remote control of insects in free flight via an implantable radio-equipped miniature neural stimulating system back in 2009. Thus it is no wonder that experiments have gradually moved to the next level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Engineers at the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fspectrum.ieee.org\u002Fautomaton\u002Frobotics\u002Findustrial-robots\u002Fdraper-dragonfleye-project\">US company called Draper are hoping to create a cybernetic dragonfly\u003C\u002Fa> that combines “miniaturized navigation, synthetic biology, and neurotechnology.” To steer the dragonflies, the Draper engineers are developing a way of genetically modifying the nervous system of the insects so they can respond to pulses of light. \u003Cstrong>Once they get it to work, this approach, known as optogenetic stimulation, could enable dragonflies to carry payloads or conduct surveillance. Moreover, they could even help honey bees become better pollinators or kill off mosquitos spreading around diseases\u003C\u002Fstrong>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>While the idea is definitely worth considering, the implementation process of creating mechanic insects should unfold with the utmost foresight. Do you remember the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.imdb.com\u002Ftitle\u002Ftt5709236\u002F\">Hated In The Nation episode of Black Mirror\u003C\u002Fa>? Tiny remotely controlled, robotic bees took the place of real bees as the animals died out. However, one day a hacker took control of the hives and turned the little creatures into killing machines.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-22485\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"524\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FRobotic-Dragonfly.jpeg\" alt=\"eradicate insects\" class=\"wp-image-22485\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FRobotic-Dragonfly.jpeg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FRobotic-Dragonfly-768x463.jpeg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002FRobotic-Dragonfly-512x308.jpeg 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption>A live dragonfly with a cybernetic backpack and optical implants is now airborne. Source: www.spectrum.ieee.org\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Thus, the question is always there, and not only in connection with cybernetic dragonflies but also with CRISPR or the release of sterilized male mosquitos: \u003Cstrong>do we have enough safety backups to meddle with nature’s processes? Do we have enough knowledge to evaluate the long-term consequences?\u003C\u002Fstrong> While we already seem to have lost some battles regarding climate change, perhaps we should think twice before applying genetic engineering or controlled robots – or we might be defeated on another front by mosquitos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ctable style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #eee; border-top: 4px solid #444;\" cellpadding=\"10px\">\n\u003Ctbody>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd style=\"width: 100%;\">\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>At The Medical Futurist, we are building a community for making a bold vision about the future of healthcare reality today.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FFIbMejImnxs\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\">\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003Cp>If you’d like to support this mission, we invite you to \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fthemedicalfuturist\">join The Medical Futurist Patreon Community\u003C\u002Fa>. A community of empowered patients, future-oriented healthcare professionals, concerned health policymakers, sensible health tech developers, and enthusiastic medical students. If there were ever a time to join us, it is now. Every contribution, however big or small, powers our research and sustains our future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fthemedicalfuturist\">\u003Cstrong style=\"background-color: #e71d3299; color: #000;\">Click here to support The Medical Futurist from as little as $3\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fa> – it only takes a minute. Thank you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003C\u002Ftr>\n\u003C\u002Ftbody>\n\u003C\u002Ftable>\n\u003Cp> \u003C\u002Fp>\n",false,{"rendered":22,"protected":20},"\u003Cp>THIS ARTICLE HAS NOT BEEN UPDATED SINCE 2018. THE INFORMATION SHARED IN THE ARTICLE WAS ACCURATE AT THE TIME OF ITS PUBLICATION, BUT IT MAY […]\u003C\u002Fp>\n",6,22492,"closed",true,"","standard",{"_acf_changed":20,"footnotes":27},[31,32],500,521,[34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50],207,606,209,744,210,904,246,1156,271,1157,275,1158,289,1159,425,134,530,[],[],[54,55,56],1883,2637,3169,[58,14,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,69,70,71,72,73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82],"post-22475","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-biotechnology","category-future-medicine","tag-digital-health","tag-prevention","tag-disease","tag-epidemics","tag-disease-awareness","tag-gene-editing","tag-future","tag-mosquito","tag-health","tag-insect","tag-healthcare","tag-crisrp","tag-innovation","tag-digital-maps","tag-technology-2","tag-ai","tag-big-data",{"id":24,"alt_text":84,"caption":27,"description":85,"media_type":86,"media_details":87,"post":5,"source_url":127},"TMF, eradicate insects","TMF, insects, moscitos, ","image",{"width":88,"height":89,"file":90,"sizes":91,"image_meta":123,"original_image":126},2560,1440,"2018\u002F12\u002F055-insects-scaled.gif",{"medium":92,"large":98,"thumbnail":103,"medium_large":107,"1536x1536":108,"2048x2048":113,"large_old_512x288":118},{"file":93,"width":94,"height":95,"mime-type":96,"source_url":97},"055-insects-370x208.gif",370,208,"image\u002Fgif","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002F055-insects-370x208.gif",{"file":99,"width":100,"height":101,"mime-type":96,"source_url":102},"055-insects-768x432.gif",768,432,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002F055-insects-768x432.gif",{"file":104,"width":105,"height":105,"mime-type":96,"source_url":106},"055-insects-150x150.gif",150,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002F055-insects-150x150.gif",{"file":99,"width":100,"height":101,"mime-type":96,"source_url":102},{"file":109,"width":110,"height":111,"mime-type":96,"source_url":112},"055-insects-1536x864.gif",1536,864,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002F055-insects-1536x864.gif",{"file":114,"width":115,"height":116,"mime-type":96,"source_url":117},"055-insects-2048x1152.gif",2048,1152,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002F055-insects-2048x1152.gif",{"file":119,"width":120,"height":121,"mime-type":96,"source_url":122},"055-insects-512x288.gif",512,288,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002F055-insects-512x288.gif",{"aperture":124,"credit":27,"camera":27,"caption":27,"created_timestamp":124,"copyright":27,"focal_length":124,"iso":124,"shutter_speed":124,"title":27,"orientation":124,"keywords":125},"0",[],"055-insects.gif","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F12\u002F055-insects-scaled.gif",{"related_posts":129,"related_posts_footer":133,"cta_type":27,"cta_color":27,"subtitle":27,"related_books":20},[130,131,132],16450,20658,21665,[134,135,136],21678,16640,14204,{"yoast_wpseo_title":138,"yoast_wpseo_metadesc":139,"yoast_wpseo_canonical":15},"Health Technologies To Eradicate Insects Transmitting Deadly Diseases - The Medical Futurist","The Medical Futurist presents the arsenal of digital health-related technologies to eradicate insects and reduce deadly epidemics.",{"self":141,"collection":147,"about":150,"author":153,"replies":156,"version-history":159,"predecessor-version":163,"wp:featuredmedia":167,"wp:attachment":170,"wp:term":173,"curies":189},[142],{"href":143,"targetHints":144},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F22475",{"allow":145},[146],"GET",[148],{"href":149},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts",[151],{"href":152},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftypes\u002Fpost",[154],{"embeddable":26,"href":155},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fusers\u002F6",[157],{"embeddable":26,"href":158},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcomments?post=22475",[160],{"count":161,"href":162},15,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F22475\u002Frevisions",[164],{"id":165,"href":166},46532,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F22475\u002Frevisions\u002F46532",[168],{"embeddable":26,"href":169},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia\u002F22492",[171],{"href":172},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia?parent=22475",[174,177,180,183,186],{"taxonomy":175,"embeddable":26,"href":176},"category","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcategories?post=22475",{"taxonomy":178,"embeddable":26,"href":179},"post_tag","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftags?post=22475",{"taxonomy":181,"embeddable":26,"href":182},"project_category","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fproject_category?post=22475",{"taxonomy":184,"embeddable":26,"href":185},"contact_email_category","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcontact_email_category?post=22475",{"taxonomy":187,"embeddable":26,"href":188},"yst_prominent_words","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fyst_prominent_words?post=22475",[190],{"name":191,"href":192,"templated":26},"wp","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.w.org\u002F{rel}",[194],{"id":136,"date":195,"date_gmt":196,"guid":197,"modified":199,"modified_gmt":200,"slug":201,"status":13,"type":14,"link":202,"title":203,"content":205,"excerpt":207,"author":23,"featured_media":209,"comment_status":25,"ping_status":25,"sticky":20,"template":27,"format":28,"meta":210,"categories":211,"tags":213,"project_category":223,"contact_email_category":224,"yst_prominent_words":225,"class_list":232,"better_featured_image":244,"acf":274,"yoast_meta":275,"_links":278},"2016-10-19T17:09:28","2016-10-19T15:09:28",{"rendered":198},"http:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F?p=14204","2021-12-06T01:08:47","2021-12-06T00:08:47","what-can-you-achieve-with-crispr-therapy","https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fwhat-can-you-achieve-with-crispr-therapy",{"rendered":204},"What can you achieve with CRISPR therapy today?",{"rendered":206,"protected":20},"\n\u003Ctable style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #eee; border-top: 4px solid #444;\" cellpadding=\"5px\"> \u003Ctbody> \u003Ctr> \u003Ctd style=\"width: 100%;\"> \u003Cp style=\"color: #555;font-size: 12px;line-height: 14px\">THIS ARTICLE HAS NOT BEEN UPDATED SINCE 2016. THE INFORMATION SHARED IN THE ARTICLE WAS ACCURATE AT THE TIME OF ITS PUBLICATION, BUT IT MAY BE OUT OF DATE NOW. \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fmagazine\">BROWSE OUR LATEST ARTICLES HERE\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp> \u003C\u002Ftd> \u003C\u002Ftr> \u003C\u002Ftbody> \u003C\u002Ftable> \u003Cp> \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>CRISPR is the newest, most efficient and most accurate method to edit a cell’s genome. It opens up a myriad of wonderful opportunities as well as frightening ethical challenges in healthcare. We have to understand it and prepare for the medical revolution it brings upon us, so here I summarised everything to know about this genome editing method from DNA-scissors to currently unimaginable possibilities, such as having an army of gene-edited soldiers. Let me introduce you, what can you achieve with CRISPR therapy today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003C!--more-->\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>This is the second part of our article series about the amazing story of the CRISPR genome editing method. Previously, you could read about the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fcrispr\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">history how CRISPR was discovered and how the process of genome editing works\u003C\u002Fa>. Now, let me show you the mind-blowing results you can achieve with CRISPR therapy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"488\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F10\u002Fcrispr-therapy.jpg\" alt=\"CRISPR therapy\" class=\"wp-image-14207\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F10\u002Fcrispr-therapy.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F10\u002Fcrispr-therapy-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F10\u002Fcrispr-therapy-768x431.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F10\u002Fcrispr-therapy-512x287.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F10\u002Fcrispr-therapy-445x250.jpg 445w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>1) The Gene-Editing Tool\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh1>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>So you should know that \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.newseveryday.com\u002Farticles\u002F45466\u002F20160607\u002Fcrispr-cas9-bring-breakthrough-treatment-medical-ailments.htm\">scientists around the world are already using this technique\u003C\u002Fa> in several of their projects. In addition, global research and development companies started using CRISPR\u002FCas 9 for the development of drugs to treat a number of life-threatening medical conditions, including sickle-cell anaemia and cancer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>For example, \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fnewsroom.cumc.columbia.edu\u002Fblog\u002F2016\u002F01\u002F27\u002Fcrispr-used-repair-blindness-causing-genetic-defect-patient-derived-stem-cells\u002F\">Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) and University of Iowa scientists have used CRISPR to repair a genetic mutation responsible for retinitis pigmentosa\u003C\u002Fa> (RP), an inherited condition that causes the retina to degrade and leads to blindness in at least 1.5 million cases worldwide. The researchers published their study about it in Scientific Reports.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The authors of the study said that: “We still have some way to go, but we believe that the first therapeutic use of CRISPR will be to treat an eye disease. Here we have demonstrated that the initial steps are feasible”.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Using CRISPR to Treat Blindness\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FFzTmlMCUDcI?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>2) The Tool Turning Genes On and Off\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh1>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In 2013, \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.theatlantic.com\u002Fscience\u002Farchive\u002F2016\u002F01\u002Fthe-most-exciting-uses-of-gene-editing-technology-involve-no-editing\u002F422619\u002F\">a researcher called Stanley \u003C\u002Fa>Qi\u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.theatlantic.com\u002Fscience\u002Farchive\u002F2016\u002F01\u002Fthe-most-exciting-uses-of-gene-editing-technology-involve-no-editing\u002F422619\u002F\">, working currently at Stanford University, found a way to “mess up” the working of the DNA scissors\u003C\u002Fa>, actually blunting them, and so creating a “dead” version of Cas9 that can’t cut anything at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The team developed ways of using the blunted enzyme to switch genes off (CRISPRi, where the i stands for interference) or on (CRISPRa, where the a stands for activation), or to tune their activity over a 1,000-fold range. They used these techniques to quickly and thoroughly screen human cells for genes that they need to grow, or to deal with a bacterial toxin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Now, instead of a precise and versatile set of scissors, which can cut any gene you want, you have a precise and versatile delivery system, which can control any gene you want. You don’t just have an editor, but you have a tiny entity controlled from outside. It is genius and scary at the same time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"489\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F10\u002Fcrispr-genome-editing.jpg\" alt=\"CRISPR therapy - genome editing\" class=\"wp-image-14208\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F10\u002Fcrispr-genome-editing.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F10\u002Fcrispr-genome-editing-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F10\u002Fcrispr-genome-editing-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F10\u002Fcrispr-genome-editing-512x288.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F10\u002Fcrispr-genome-editing-444x250.jpg 444w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>3) The Tool Treating Huntington’s Disease\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh1>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.techtimes.com\u002Farticles\u002F162951\u002F20160605\u002Fnew-rna-snipping-crispr-gene-editing-system-may-help-treat-huntingtons-and-other-diseases.htm\">One recent breakthrough is the use of a CRISPR formed from mouth bacterium that is capable of breaking RNA\u003C\u002Fa>, the part of cells that help transform genes into usable proteins. The RNA version of CRISPR was developed by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). It is based on a certain enzyme known as C2c2, which helps keep bacteria protected against other microbes such as viruses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>By manipulating the RNA, researchers could influence gene activity as well as the production of protein in the body. This would effectively grant them the ability to turn the process up or down, or even switch it on or off to suit their purposes without affecting the genetic codes stored in the RNA. This whole method means that it is now becoming increasingly possible to develop better forms of treatment that can target specific malignancies in the body, such as Huntington’s disease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"C2C2: A single-effector CRISPR protein\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002F8ed_QFOlD40?list=PLlMMtlgw6qNgq9oaEBBpVD3Ruo02ufq2I\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>4) The Tool Against Malaria\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh1>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.who.int\u002Ffeatures\u002Ffactfiles\u002Fmalaria\u002Fen\u002F\">The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates\u003C\u002Fa> that about 3.2 billion people – nearly half of the world’s population – are at risk of malaria. In 2015, there were roughly 214 million malaria cases and an estimated 438 000 malaria deaths, thus it is overtly important to fight and prevent the disease. One of the best methods is to somehow fight off its primary transmitter, infected mosquitoes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.popularmechanics.com\u002Fscience\u002Fa18324\u002Fcrispr-gene-editing-used-to-make-malaria-resistant-mosquitoes\u002F\">Researchers have used gene-editing to create mosquitoes\u003C\u002Fa> that are almost entirely resistant to the parasite that causes malaria. \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.popularmechanics.com\u002Fscience\u002Fa19067\u002F11-crazy-things-we-can-do-with-crispr-cas9\u002F\">They used CRISPR to remove a segment of mosquito DNA\u003C\u002Fa>, and when the mosquitoes’ genetic system tried to repair the genome, it was tricked into replacing it with a DNA construct engineered by the scientists. They found that 99 per cent of the offspring of the genetically modified insects also had the malaria-resistant genes. So some genetic change had occurred.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"822\" height=\"462\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F10\u002Fcrispr-against-malaria-spreading-mosquitos.jpeg\" alt=\"CRISPR therapy - Against Malaria-spreading Mosquitos\" class=\"wp-image-14212\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F10\u002Fcrispr-against-malaria-spreading-mosquitos.jpeg 822w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F10\u002Fcrispr-against-malaria-spreading-mosquitos-370x208.jpeg 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F10\u002Fcrispr-against-malaria-spreading-mosquitos-768x432.jpeg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F10\u002Fcrispr-against-malaria-spreading-mosquitos-512x288.jpeg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F10\u002Fcrispr-against-malaria-spreading-mosquitos-445x250.jpeg 445w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 822px) 100vw, 822px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>5) The ultimate weapon against cancer\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh1>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>As a very simple explanation, cancer occurs when cells refuse to die and keep multiplying in various places in our bodies, while hiding from our immune system. With CRISPR, we will have the chance to edit our cells in our immune systems to improve them against cancer cells and to help them kill these malevolent entities in time. In the future, getting rid of cancer could mean just an injection as now against mumps which was a deadly disease for children in the 1800s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>And lately, something miraculous happened. After trying traditional cancer-treating methods such as chemotherapy and bone-marrow transplants, doctors decided to \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.popularmechanics.com\u002Fscience\u002Fhealth\u002Fnews\u002Fa18099\u002Fgene-editing-eliminate-cancer\u002F\">use gene-editing technologies in a last-ditch effort to save a girl\u003C\u002Fa> who was suffering from lymphoblastic leukemia. The doctors altered the immune system, namely T-cells of a donor to more effectively locate and kill leukemia cells – without attacking the patient’s organism. Actually, they did not use CRISPR, but another method, TALEN, but in any case, it turned out to be a huge success.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How CRISPR Can Help Fight Cancer\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FlC2bc2s5IwY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>6) The Shield Against Duchenne Syndrome\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh1>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Patients with the devastating Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy lose the ability to walk by their teens, and often die from one of a number of complications—like respiratory or heart failure—at a young age. The disease is caused by a mutation that prevents the body from producing the dystrophin protein, a critical protein in the development of muscle tissue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Since the syndrome is retraceable to one specific mutation of a gene, researchers are experimenting with the use of CRISPR in finding a treatment for it. \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Farstechnica.com\u002Fscience\u002F2016\u002F01\u002Fgene-editing-shows-promise-in-treating-muscular-dystrophy\u002F\">This year, experiments showed that\u003C\u002Fa> scientists were able to treat mice with the Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy through gene editing – thus the technology has great promise in treating people suffering from this deadly illness in the near future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed\">\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fwatch?v=JBso2lleM48\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>7) With the Advancement of Research, We Could Have Clinical Trials in 2017 (!!)\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh1>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The discovery of CRISPR has been having the impact on science as the discovery of the DNA and the Human Genome Project in itself was. Research labs are popping up like mushrooms, such as Intellia Therapeutics or CRISPR Therapeutics. Apparently, it is very sexy to work on CRISPR-related projects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fir.editasmedicine.com\u002Fphoenix.zhtml?c=254265&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=2199837\">Editas Medicine\u003C\u002Fa> is one of the leading genome editing, biotechnological company dedicated to treating patients with genetically-defined diseases by correcting their disease-causing genes. Its mission is to translate the promise of genome editing science into a broad class of transformative genomic medicines to benefit the greatest number of patients. Their areas of research include eye diseases, blood- muscle or lung diseases and cancer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>With the advancement of CRISPR research, it is somehow almost natural that the possibility for clinical trials appeared. \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.technologyreview.com\u002Fs\u002F543181\u002Fcrispr-gene-editing-to-be-tested-on-people-by-2017-says-editas\u002F\">Editas Medicine said that\u003C\u002Fa> the company hopes to start a clinical trial in 2017 to treat a rare form of blindness (\u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fghr.nlm.nih.gov\u002Fcondition\u002Fleber-congenital-amaurosis\">leber congenital amaurosis\u003C\u002Fa>, which affects the light-receiving cells of the retina) using CRISPR. If Editas’s plans move forward, the study would likely be the first to use CRISPR to edit the DNA of a person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Editas Medicine to create the first genetically modified HUMANS in 2017 HD\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FGQh4w22SPpo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>These are only a few examples of the many out there. But I’m sure they will mark the beginning of a new era in genome editing and healthcare in general. However, I also believe that the long-term impacts on society and the ethics of doing research will be of much higher altitude. CRISPR could actually bring tremendous change to our future with designer babies, the eradication of diseases or that of ageing. Exactly due to such impacts, it will also generate huge ethical dilemmas and ultimate questions about our way of life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Don’t miss the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fwhat-could-crisprcas9-do-tomorrow\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Third Part of the Article Series\u003C\u002Fa> if You Are Curious Whether We Are About to Open Pandora’s Box Again or Rather to Get the Greatest Hope of Mankind!\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"rendered":208,"protected":20},"\u003Cp>THIS ARTICLE HAS NOT BEEN UPDATED SINCE 2016. THE INFORMATION SHARED IN THE ARTICLE WAS ACCURATE AT THE TIME OF ITS PUBLICATION, BUT IT MAY […]\u003C\u002Fp>\n",14194,{"_acf_changed":20,"footnotes":27},[31,212],488,[214,215,216,217,218,44,46,219,220,221,222],255,571,257,260,262,355,517,253,570,[],[],[226,227,228,229,230,231],1621,2657,2947,2967,3585,4677,[233,14,59,60,61,62,63,64,234,235,236,237,238,239,76,78,240,241,242,243],"post-14204","category-genomics","tag-gene-therapy","tag-genome-editing","tag-genetic-disorder","tag-genetics","tag-genomics","tag-personalized-medicine","tag-gc1","tag-gene","tag-crispr",{"id":209,"alt_text":245,"caption":27,"description":27,"media_type":86,"media_details":246,"post":272,"source_url":273},"CRISPR genome editing method",{"width":247,"height":248,"file":249,"sizes":250,"image_meta":270},870,489,"2016\u002F10\u002Fcrispr-and-cas9.jpg",{"medium":251,"large":255,"thumbnail":258,"medium_large":261,"large_old_512x288":262,"medium_old_444x250":265},{"file":252,"width":94,"height":95,"mime-type":253,"source_url":254},"crispr-and-cas9-370x208.jpg","image\u002Fjpeg","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F10\u002Fcrispr-and-cas9-370x208.jpg",{"file":256,"width":100,"height":101,"mime-type":253,"source_url":257},"crispr-and-cas9-768x432.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F10\u002Fcrispr-and-cas9-768x432.jpg",{"file":259,"width":105,"height":105,"mime-type":253,"source_url":260},"crispr-and-cas9-150x150.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F10\u002Fcrispr-and-cas9-150x150.jpg",{"file":256,"width":100,"height":101,"mime-type":253,"source_url":257},{"file":263,"width":120,"height":121,"mime-type":253,"source_url":264},"crispr-and-cas9-512x288.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F10\u002Fcrispr-and-cas9-512x288.jpg",{"file":266,"width":267,"height":268,"mime-type":253,"source_url":269},"crispr-and-cas9-444x250.jpg",444,250,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F10\u002Fcrispr-and-cas9-444x250.jpg",{"aperture":124,"credit":27,"camera":27,"caption":27,"created_timestamp":124,"copyright":27,"focal_length":124,"iso":124,"shutter_speed":124,"title":27,"orientation":124,"keywords":271},[],14192,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F10\u002Fcrispr-and-cas9.jpg",{"related_posts":20,"related_posts_footer":20,"cta_type":27,"cta_color":27,"subtitle":27,"related_books":20},{"yoast_wpseo_title":276,"yoast_wpseo_metadesc":277,"yoast_wpseo_canonical":202},"What can you achieve with CRISPR therapy today? - The Medical Futurist","CRISPR is the newest, most efficient and most accurate method to edit a cell's genome. Let me introduce you, what can you achieve with CRISPR therapy today.",{"self":279,"collection":284,"about":286,"author":288,"replies":290,"version-history":293,"predecessor-version":297,"wp:featuredmedia":301,"wp:attachment":304,"wp:term":307,"curies":318},[280],{"href":281,"targetHints":282},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F14204",{"allow":283},[146],[285],{"href":149},[287],{"href":152},[289],{"embeddable":26,"href":155},[291],{"embeddable":26,"href":292},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcomments?post=14204",[294],{"count":295,"href":296},9,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F14204\u002Frevisions",[298],{"id":299,"href":300},37307,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F14204\u002Frevisions\u002F37307",[302],{"embeddable":26,"href":303},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia\u002F14194",[305],{"href":306},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia?parent=14204",[308,310,312,314,316],{"taxonomy":175,"embeddable":26,"href":309},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcategories?post=14204",{"taxonomy":178,"embeddable":26,"href":311},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftags?post=14204",{"taxonomy":181,"embeddable":26,"href":313},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fproject_category?post=14204",{"taxonomy":184,"embeddable":26,"href":315},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcontact_email_category?post=14204",{"taxonomy":187,"embeddable":26,"href":317},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fyst_prominent_words?post=14204",[319],{"name":191,"href":192,"templated":26},[],1789238014778]