African Genetic Biocontrol Consortium monthly newsletter; August,2021
African Genetic
Biocontrol Consortium;
Monthly Newsletter, August 2021
We are excited to announce the launch of our newly designed website. After a month of hard work and dedication, the African Genetic Biocontrol Consortium website is LIVE! The new site is available and the link is www.genbioconsortium.africa
The website offers a platform to facilitate interaction among African experts and institution to enhance technical capacity strengthening knowledge exchange and deliberation. Our goal with this new website is to provide our visitors with an easier way to learn about genetic biocontrol. Genetic biocontrol has many possible applications across public health, agriculture and conservation. This user friendly platform allows the visitor to have access to segments such as About Us, Member Organizations, Programs and Events, and News and Publications.
The site contains integrated social media buttons for Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to foster improved communication with site visitors. We will constantly updating our content with helpful information, organizational announcements, newsletters and member updates in the news section.
We hope you find the new website, easy to access and we also wish to establish this portal as a credible source of information on matters biocontrol. We would like to thank our staff at African Genetic Biocontrol Consortium who dedicated their time and energy to make this site what it is.
Message from the Head of
the Secretariat
The African Genetic Biocontrol Consortium is a platform that provides interaction among African experts and institutions to enhance opportunities for technical capacity strengthening, knowledge exchange and deliberation on the challenges and opportunities of genetic biocontrol technologies. The hope is that the consortium will serve as a sphere to not only compliment but strengthen the African influence on the region’s development of genetic biocontrol technologies and provide critical input for decision-making by product developers, policy makers, and other stakeholders.
As an organization we have grown with the support of our current members. We believe that there is value in bringing together a consortium of organizations that have the motivation and capabilities to contribute to expanding African selfdetermination of the course of research, development, and use of genetic biocontrol approaches for controlling and eliminating malaria and other vector-borne diseases in Africa.
Given the current state of research, it is likely that the first potential use of gene drive approaches.
Could be to support control and elimination of malaria in Africa. Decision making about the benefits and risks of gene drive approaches must be led by those who would be most directly impacted by their use. As an organization we have grown with the support of our current members and staff. We are optimistic that in the years to come our strides as a consortium will be instrumental in building capacity in Africa.
Story Feature of the Month:
World Mosquito Day!
World Mosquito Day is observed every year on the 20th August to commemorate British doctor Sir Ronald Ross who in 1897 discovered that female Anopheles mosquitos transmit malaria.
Mosquitos are carriers or vectors for deadly infectious human diseases. For instance, in 2018, there were 228 million cases of malaria worldwide and 405,000 deaths. However, there are other mosquito spices responsible for the transmission of other diseases such as Dengue, Zika, Chikungunya, and Yellow Fever. Conventional control measures of mosquito vectors such as spraying insecticides and use of bed nets are inadequate Genetic biocontrol could potentially be used to prevent insects from acquiring or transmitting a disease, which could help to protect human, livestock and wildlife health.
Genetic biocontrol uses genetic engineering for insect pest management by releasing sterile insects to reduce or eliminate wild populations of that insect. biocontrol uses genetic engineering for insect pest management by releasing sterile insects to reduce or eliminate wild populations of that insect.
The Africa Genetic Biocontrol Consortium believes is value in bringing together a consortium of organizations that have the motivation and capabilities to contribute to expanding African self-determination of the course of research, development, and use of genetic biocontrol approaches for controlling and eliminating malaria and other vector-borne diseases in Africa.
It is imperative to encourage the adoption of novel and innovative emerging technologies such as gene drives to control and eliminate mosquito-borne diseases.
The GenBio Africa
Mentorship Program
The GenBio Africa Mentorship Program is a regional initiative to support
and sustain professional development in the field of genetic biocontrol
technologies.
The African Genetic Biocontrol Consortium mentorship program provides scholars, developing scientists, developers, policy makers and other professionals in Africa with individual mentorship from experienced champions in their geographic region or other parts of the world. Mentors and their mentees discuss matters related to genetic biocontrol.
Mentor and Mentee pairs are brought together to discuss regional and global issues and opportunities pertaining to genetic engineering, biosafety, one health and vector control. As such, mentor and Mentee pairs are matched based on sub regional/region and professional discipline to encourage locally relevant professional guidance in any and all GenBio Africa Professional Certification domains, including genetic engineering for GM animals, biosafety and Biosecurity, One Health and related issues, facilities management, and insect control.
Mentoring relationships will be mutually agreed upon as to goals, time span, type of interaction, etc. Some pairs may want to interact only by phone or e-mail, while others will want to arrange a site visit for an in-depth experience. It will be up to the participants to decide how they wish to proceed. In order to be matched by the GenBio Mentoring Committee, both the Mentor and Mentee must be members of an Organization in the Consortium.
We are seeking Mentees who would like to be matched up with a Mentor who has expertise in their area of interest. Maybe you are new to research, or an experienced professional involved in genetic biocontrol activities. After a prospective Mentee completes the application form, they will be matched up with an expert in their area of interest. A person interested in becoming a mentee or a mentor shall sign an application form.
10D, Sifa Towers,
Lenana/Cotton Avenue Junction, Nairobi.
Phone: +254 020 205 4451 | +254 7719 283 353
Email: info@genbioconsortium.africa
Website: www.genbioconsortium.afric