By Dr. Brian Tarimo, Senior Research Scientist, Ifakara Health Institute

Following the success of its 2022 Gene Drive Short Course, this year the Pan-African Mosquito Control Association (PAMCA) held two training courses on gene drive technologies as part of its 9th Annual Conference and Exhibition in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. As a conference participant, I had the privilege of facilitating one of these courses: "Foundation Gene Drive Short Course", along with colleagues from The Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) and Target Malaria.

The aim of the Foundation Gene Drive Short Course was to provide participants with a basic technical understanding of gene drive technologies, how they work, and their potential use in the fight against vector-borne diseases, such as malaria. Attendees came from a diverse range of professional backgrounds and featured policymakers, journalists, as well as representatives from NGOs and CSOs.