Partnering with Diptera.ai to build the tech capacity of African research institutes to use the technologies of tomorrow
For the past year, Target Malaria has partnered with Diptera.ai, a mission-driven biotech startup that is working to make vector control technology, like gene drive, accessible to all, especially those that it the most and can afford it the least. The company offers a number of technological solutions to optimize Target Malaria’s mosquito production, chief among them their larval sorters.
Combining proprietary optics, machine learning, and automation, these sorters are able to detect and sort larvae according to different characteristics, including sex – something that was previously thought to be impossible as larvae are asexual. Being able to sort at the larval stage allows for cheaper, more efficient production, while simplifying the logistics and increasing the shelf life of our mosquitoes. This has the potential to be a game changer for mosquito-based solutions.
As part of this ongoing partnership, facilitated by the Gates Foundation, Diptera.ai has been building AI-powered state of the art larvae sorting systems to help progress Target Malaria’s research and production capacity.
The first of these systems arrived recently in Burkina Faso, paving the way for the Research Institute for Health Sciences – Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé (IRSS) to be the first place on the continent (and in the world!) capable of sex sorting of Anopheles mosquitoes at the larval stage.
This initiative highlights Target Malaria’s continued commitment to building local capacity and leadership, and bringing in the best innovations and technology to the fight against malaria.
As part of this project, last month two members of the Target Malaria Burkina Faso team, Dr Robert Ouédraogo and Souleymane Sankara, travelled to the Diptera.ai offices in Jerusalem for a ten-day intensive practical training focused on assembling, operating, and troubleshooting the systems.
Guy Filo, Head of Software at Diptera.ai, shared that “the visit was a fantastic opportunity for us to deepen our connection and to learn exactly what the researchers’ needs are in Burkina Faso so we can optimise our systems for their specific environment and working conditions. We really feel like a team now and we have been in close contact since Roger and Souleymane’s trip, so that we can get this project going and bring us all closer to eradicating malaria.”
This initiative highlights Target Malaria and Diptera.ai’s shared commitment to building local capacity and leadership, and bringing in the best innovations, technologies and talent to the fight against malaria.
