ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines the framework used by the University of California Malaria Initiative for the selection of sites for conducting field trials of genetically engineered mosquitoes (GEMs) designed for the control of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. The gene drive serves two critical purposes: to successfully establish the effector genes at high frequency in the target population into which it is initially introduced, to facilitate its spread into neighboring populations via normal mosquito dispersal, gene flow. The chapter argues that ecologically confined, island field sites are best suited for a PHASE 2 GEM field trial because of several factors outlined here, including biogeography and climate, lower species complexity, lower genetic complexity, high containment. Efforts to enhance ecological confinement by restricting anthropogenic conveyance of mosquitoes should be scaled to the magnitude of the risk of such conveyance. However, for the purposes of enhancing ecological containment of a low threshold gene drive, even a single insect carrying the drive may pose a risk.
