Oxitec July Newsletter
Welcome to Oxitec’s July newsletter!? In this edition, we have updates covering our efforts in Djibouti, the US and Brazil, some important announcements and new hiring opportunities. ?
As always, we’re thankful for your interest, support, and partnership. Please share this with colleagues who might be interested, and if you know of exceptional people who would be a good fit for our expanding team, please send them our way. ? Covered in this edition:
Djibouti Breaks New Ground in the Fight Against Malaria with First Release of Friendly? Mosquitoes in Africa, Targeting the Invasive Anopheles stephensi
In case you missed it – in May, Djibouti took a historic step in the fight to end malaria, launching the first pilot releases of Oxitec’s Friendly? mosquitoes on African soil.?
These first releases mark an important first step towards the development of a Friendly? solution to combat Anopheles stephensi,?driven by the leadership of Djibouti’s government, in collaboration with community leaders and civil society, and with the support of a global coalition of experts and supportive organisations.
Learn more in our recent special edition newsletter. Watch our recent video on the program’s work.
Florida Keys Mosquito Control District and Oxitec Announce Plans for the 2024 Mosquito Project Season?
Following a successful 2023 season, Oxitec and the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District (FKMCD) announced that a fourth season of the FKMCD-Oxitec Mosquito Project will run through the summer of 2024.
For the 2024 season, the joint project team will be studying the integration of this sustainable, biological approach with current practices including the use of insecticides. Oxitec boxes will be placed outside in a range of locations in Florida Keys neighbourhoods but no Oxitec male mosquitoes will be deployed or released, instead this work will use only a locally sourced, wild strain of Aedes aegypti. The joint project team will focus on best practices for integration of Oxitec’s non-biting male mosquitoes with ongoing District-level operations.
Learn more here.
Oxitec and Orkin Enter into National Partnership to Combat Dengue-Spreading Mosquitoes with Friendly? Aedes aegypti Solutions
We’re excited to be partnering leading pest control company, Orkin, to distribute Friendly? Aedes aegypti in Brazil. Orkin will make the Friendly? Aedes aegypti solution – known as Aedes do Bem? in Brazil – available to its existing government and business customers, expanding Oxitec's distribution network and helping communities to control the Aedes aegypti mosquito in the face of an unprecedented dengue crisis. Since the start of 2024, Brazil has reported over 6 million cases, much higher than the 1.6 million cases reported in the whole of 2023.
Learn more here.
Oxitec Partners with Suzano to Explore Sustainable Solutions for Devastating Eucalyptus Pest
The invasive red gum lerp psyllid threatens the USD$46 billion eucalyptus industry in Brazil. Oxitec and Suzano, Latin America’s largest paper and pulp producer, have partnered to explore how Oxitec’s Friendly? platform could deliver sustainable protection of eucalyptus plantations from this damaging pest. This collaboration marks the first step towards the development of a new solution to control the red gum lerp psyllid.
Learn more here.
Oxitec People: Get to Know Our Team!
Get to know some of our brilliant colleagues through our new Oxitec People series! We recently spotlighted Deka Hassan Hersi, Field Scientist in Djibouti, and Eileen Jeffrey, Field Operations Manager in Panama.
Read their profiles below.
We're Hiring!
With expanding operations globally, we are continually looking for outstanding individuals from a range of backgrounds who are committed to having an impact globally and who share our values.?If you believe you can contribute to our mission, please check our website for open positions in a range of countries or send a note to?[email protected]. We'd love to hear from you.?
Oxitec in Photos
Oxitec in the News?
In case you missed it, some highlights of media coverage after our milestone first releases of Friendly? mosquitoes in Africa:
R&D, Senior Scientist, IDx
2 个月One concern I have with most vector-control programs is that they emphasize a confrontational narrative, designed to achieve complete eradication of hematophagous arthropods from human dwellings. This narrative fails to recognize the potential role of “healthy” non-infected mosquitos as source, and delivery vehicles, of “Ectocrine” signals. The mosquitoes are not the problem, they are also victims of a long list of pathogens that use them as host and deserve protection instead of extermination. Further details on this perspective at: ?https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/aedes-aegypti-mosquitoes-readymade-biomedical-devices-mejia-md?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios&utm_campaign=share_via