New Scientist Live 2024

We had the pleasure of exhibiting at New Scientist Live for the first time last weekend! New Scientist Live is a major science exhibition in London on October 12-14, bringing in visitors from all over London. It was a huge opportunity for us to showcase our work to science-keen audiences of all ages. On Monday 14^th, it was schools’ day which allowed us to engage school children who had curious questions and stories about their own experience with mosquitoes. This was also the perfect age group to engage through our video and card games. 

_{Ignacio Tolosana and Lamin Jadama of the Discovery Team at Imperial College London showcasing mosquitoes to a visitor (Left). Video game demonstration for visitors (Right).}

Our stand featured our various communication tools, such as our card game “Mozzie Drive”, the   “Swarm” sonification, live mosquitoes and larvae allowing visitors to come face-to-face with mosquitoes.  Visitors could also play our new microinjection video game. It was created in collaboration with Michael Marston, a British video game developer, and Louise Marston, one of Target Malaria’s senior research technicians at Imperial College London.

The video game allows the player to enter a simulation laboratory, which has been modelled after our real laboratory, and play modules to experience various laboratory processes, such as microinjection. Microinjection is a key part of our research and science. It is a difficult process that necessitates skills and patience to sort out embryos and then inject them with a DNA solution. We have a blog which outlines the process written by Louise Marston, who is our top microinjector of mosquito embryos at the Discovery team in South Kensington. Read the blog here.    

_{Divine Dzokoto of Target Malaria Ghana looking at mosquitoes with a visitor. (Left) Visitors playing the card game. (Right)}

“It was a great opportunity for us to reach a new audience who were very supportive and amazed by our work!” – Divine Dzokoto 

We also showcased our new shirts featuring a design which aims to emulate a traditional African design. The artwork is inspired by the countries that we operate in, and that are primarily affected by the malaria endemic. We have two version, one in green and one in blue. Both versions of the design incorporate scientific illustrations to raise awareness on the lifecycle of the Anopheles mosquito, the contributions of Target Malaria but also other tools to fight malaria such as bednets, insecticide sprays and antimalarial drugs, as well as a figure representing our stakeholders and the women who have a hand in the fight against malaria.

Thank you to all the visitors who visited the exhibition and our stand!