# Self-Eliminating Strategy To Control Gene Drive

> **NIH AI R01** · TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE RESEARCH · 2026 · $749,703

## Abstract

The ability to deliver pathogen-resistance genes into mosquito populations has long been sought as a potential
alternative for disrupting dengue or malaria transmission where funds and infrastructure are the limiting factors
in effective mosquito control. While effective gene drive transgenes based on CRISPR/Cas9 have been
developed for model organism Drosophila and for malaria mosquitoes, Aedes aegypti, the most medically
important vector of dengue, yellow fever and chikungunya viruses, lags behind for reasons that remain largely
unexplored and unknown. In this project, D. melanogaster and A. aegypti will be employed to evaluate novel
hypotheses regarding how genome structure and DNA repair influence both homing gene drive and transgene
removal based on single strand annealing. Following from previous work, multigeneration cage experiments
will be performed on this transgene removal strategy in the context of an active gene drive in both flies and
mosquitoes, followed by a wave of transgene removal (Aim 1). Next, the role of local microhomology, nuclease
characterisics and DNA repair protein recruitment will be examined on both the rates of both homing gene
drive and transgene removal in A. aegypti, where gene drive has lagged behind (Aim 2). Finally, the role of
chromosomal position on both homing gene drive and transgene removal will be tested in the context of both
synthetic targets and new haplolethal target genes (Aim 3). This innovative approach takes advantage of
naturally occurring processes that are conserved throughout eukaryota to completely eliminate all transgenic
sequences following potential field releases. Thus, it is anticipated that this project will have a substantial
impact on National and International conversations concerning gene drive technology as a whole, and will raise
expectations for what is possible in any future trial to generate pathogen-resistant mosquitoes.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11320437
- **Project number:** 2R01AI148787-06
- **Recipient organization:** TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE RESEARCH
- **Principal Investigator:** Zach N. Adelman; KEVIN M MYLES
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** AI
- **Fiscal year:** 2026
- **Award amount:** $749,703
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2020-06-25T00:00:00 → 2031-01-31T00:00:00

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11320437

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11320437, Self-Eliminating Strategy To Control Gene Drive (2R01AI148787-06). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-17 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11320437. Licensed CC0.

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