# Public Engagement for Gene Drive Technology

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · 2020 · $450,745

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
 Development of gene drives to control mosquito vectors of disease has rapidly accelerated in recent
years, and these efforts may soon culminate in gene drive systems ready for open field testing. The success of
gene drive and other novel vector control approaches will depend on design decisions, oversight, and plans for
field testing and deployment that meet the needs of various stakeholders, including residents of affected areas
and the general public, but there is little agreement about how best to obtain informed public input. In a recent
analysis of engagement initiatives for novel vector control approaches, our group found that for many initiatives,
there was a lack of documentation, and for initiatives that were documented, many had vaguely articulated goals
that were not clearly linked to either the methods used or the stage of technological development. The goal of
this study is to develop a robust conceptual framework for public engagement to guide the development
of gene drives and other emerging technologies from early proof of concept through field trials to
deployment. The framework we produce will be generalizable to other novel and exceptional technologies.
Each aim of the proposed project is supported by prior published work conducted by our group and observations
from preliminary data. In Specific Aim 1, we will conduct a systematic landscape analysis of engagement
initiatives for existing novel genetic and other vector control technologies, including gene drive. In Specific Aim
2, we will formulate a public engagement framework that aligns stage of product development with engagement
timing, methods, messages, and goals. In Specific Aim 3, we will obtain informed expert and public input on the
engagement framework and use the input to refine and finalize the framework. This contribution will be significant
because it will provide the foundation for a coherent and comprehensive approach to public engagement for
gene drive and other novel and emerging technologies, thereby ensuring the successful translation of novel
innovations to address critical public health problems. The approach is innovative in engaging both experts and
a demographically and geographically diverse sample of members of the public, including both English and
Spanish speakers. The work is feasible in our hands because our team of established investigators has a track
record of successful multidisciplinary research projects related to public engagement for novel vector control
interventions, as well as expertise in ethical, social, and policy issues related to gene drive.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10102015
- **Project number:** 1R01TR003514-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
- **Principal Investigator:** Cinnamon S Bloss
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $450,745
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-09-17 → 2024-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10102015

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10102015, Public Engagement for Gene Drive Technology (1R01TR003514-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10102015. Licensed CC0.

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