David Herrin, University of Texas at Austin professor of molecular biosciences, led a team of researchers which has developed algae that produce chemicals toxic to disease-carrying mosquitoes.
The researchers were able to incorporate a gene into the algae's DNA which instructs it to make toxins for specific types of mosquitoes. Thus far the researchers have produced algae which can target three different types of mosquitoes, but they hope to produce a fourth one, in order to cover all of the major disease-carrying mosquitoes in Texas. Herrin hopes to bring the algae to market for small scale and large scale consumer mosquito control.
To read more about the mosquito killing algae click below:
- KXAN - "UT researchers using algae to fight mosquitoes"
- Austin American Statesman - "Few qualms among scientists about wiping out Zika virus's mosquito carrier"
- The Daily Texan - "Researchers develop mosquito-killing algae to fight mosquito-related viruses"
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