Mosquito Trap for the Identification of Lab Versus Field Bred Mosquitoes

Unmet Need
Biotechnology companies are working with a number of cities and countries around the world to help reduce the population of disease carrying mosquitos. One successful strategy has been to genetically modify and release male mosquitoes into the wild so that their progeny will be infertile or die prematurely (for example, the OX513a mosquito). To identify the extent that the genetically modified mosquitoes are propagating through a population, the progeny typically receive a fluorescent ‘tag’ in addition to the population-limiting gene. Physically identifying tagged mosquitoes is time consuming and resource intensive, requiring researchers to manually place and later collect mosquito traps and analyze the insects under a fluorescent microscope to see if they have been genetically modified.
 
Technology Overview
Johns Hopkins researchers have developed a remote system capable of imaging and identifying fluorescent mosquitoes and larvae without the need to collect the trap and analyze the insects with a microscope. The fluorescence sensor detects a wide range of wavelengths and wirelessly transmits data to allow for real-time analysis of genetically modified mosquito populations. This approach saves countless hours and resources spent manually placing traps and collecting and imaging mosquitos and larva under a lab microscope.
 
Stage of Development
Prototype devices and software are under development.

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