Sir Stephen O’Brien  visits Imperial College London 

Sir Stephen O’Brien, Non-Executive Director, Board of The Friends of The Global Fund Europe (Aids, TB & Malaria), visited our lab to better understand the work happening in the fight against malaria. The discussion provided an overview of the science, innovation pathways, and development progress behind gene drive technologies.

Sir O’Brien is a British politician, former UN official and global health advocate and campaigner. In 2004, he founded and subsequently served as Chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases. He has also been Chairman of the Malaria Consortium, Vice-Chair of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, and was Chair of the Innovative Vector Control Consortium from 2006-2022.

The visit was hosted in collaboration with Transmission Zero, highlighting our complementary roles in advancing gene drive research.

The conversation left a strong sense of optimism on all fronts. Gene drive technologies hold the potential to save lives and strengthen the resilience of communities affected by malaria. Moving from research to real‑world impact will require not only scientific excellence but also genuine co‑ownership by the countries and communities most affected.