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Articles:

WHO Report of the Meeting “Prospects for Malaria Control by Genetic Manipulation of its Vectors”

Announcement of the 14 Grand Challenges in Global Health (Science 17 October 2003: Vol. 302. no. 5644, pp. 398 - 399)

Ecological Aspects for Application of Genetically Modified Mosquitoes

Bridging Laboratory and Field Research for Genetic Control of Disease Vectors

Population Dynamics of Transposable Elements: Copy Number Regulation and Species Invasion Requirements (Journal of Biological Systems, Vol. 13, No. 4 (2005) 455-475)

Multicountry study of Aedes aegypti pupal productivity survey methodology -  Findings and recommendations (TDR/IRM/DEN/06.1) - The objective of this multicountry study was to evaluate the practicality of the survey method and whether it can consistently identify and classify water containers that are particularly productive of the dengue vector, Aedes aegypti.

Age and Body Size Influence Male Sperm Capacity of the Dengue Vector Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae).  Alongkot Ponlawat and Laura C. Harrington.  Journal of Medical Entomology, May 2007, Volume 44, Number 3, pp:422-426.

Bugs in the System? Issues in the Science and Regulation of GM Insects (© 2004 Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology) outlines the development status of GM insects, the enormous potential benefits of these insects as well as the potential public health, environmental, and food safety risk issues associated with them. The report also examines the regulatory system and points out gaps in authority and areas where transparency, clarity, opportunities for public participation, resources and expertise, efficiency and coordination, or adequate risk management tools could be improved.

Guidance for Contained Field Trials of Vector Mosquitoes Engineered to Contain a Gene Driven System: Recommendations of a Scientific Working Group (VECTOR-BORNE AND ZOONOTIC DISEASES, Vol. 8, No. 2, April 2008, pp.127-166) This collaborative effort draws from a wide range of opinions and backgrounds to develop a broad analysis of the issues associated with contained-field testing of genetically engineered arthropod vectors.  The guideline is understood to be a “living document,” to serve as the basis for further discussion and to undergo revisions and updates as needed.  In that vein, the working group encourages input for further development of the document.  Comments and input can be directed to Dr. Stephanie James at containment_guidlines@fnih.org.

Female-specific flightless phenotype for mosquito control. Guoliang Fu,  Rosemary S. Lees, Derric Nimmo, Diane Aw, Li Jin, Pam Gray, Thomas U. Berendonk, Helen White-Cooper, Sarah Scaife, Hoang Kim Phuc, Osvaldo Marinotti, Nijole Jasinskiene, Anthony A. James and Luke Alphey. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. March 9, 2010, Volume 107, Number 10, pp:4550-4554. Epub Feb 22, 2010.

Ethical, Social and Cultural Resources:

Ethical, social, and cultural considerations for site selection for research with genetically modified mosquitoes.  James V. Lavery, Laura C. Harrington and Thomas W. Scott.  The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. September 2008, Volume 79, Number 3, pp:312-318.

Pamphlet distributed in conjunction with density dependence mosquito larvae study Tapachula, Mexico

Toward a framework of comunity engagement in global helath research. James V. Lavery, Paulina O. Tinadana, Thomas W. Scott, Laura C. Harrington, Janine M. Ramsey, Claudia Ytuarte- Nuñez, and Anthony A. James. Trends in Parasitology. June 2010, Volume 26, Issue 6, pp:279-283

Regulatory Structures:

A summary of the regulatory structure in Mexico.  We have approval from CIBIOGEM to work with transgenic mosquitoes however specific protocols are submitted through an INSP regulatory committee consisting of representatives from Biosecurity, Bioethics, and Research commissions that notify/update CIBIOGEM via submissions to SEMARNAT.  We are obligated to notify SEMARNAT of new protocols for experimentation or transport and wait for their acceptance of the protocol(s) before we begin work.  SEMARNAT oversees all of the protocols for experimentation and transport within Mexico for our project regardless of whether the experiments involve transgenic animals or not (e.g., mark, release, recapture of wild mosquitoes experiments).

Oversight of US interstate transport of GM mosquitoes is handled by the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Biotechnology Regulatory Services (USDA/APHIS/BRS - http://www.aphis.usda.gov/biotechnology/brs_main.shtml).  Insectaries at recipient institutions must pass an inspection by the USDA before a permit for transport will be granted.  We have consistently applied for two-way permits to transport among institutions within the US (i.e., insectaries from both institutions have passed inspection).  An example permit can be found here.  While we have petitioned the CDC for permits to import and transport GM mosquitoes, they have indicated multiple times (in response to applications from different institutions within our consortium) that a permit from the CDC is not requiredto import GM mosquitoes (an example letter can be found here).

Lab work within the US falls under the normal oversight of intramural committees and review boards (Institutional Review Boards, Institutional Biosafety Committees, and Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee). All lab work outside of the US complies with the institutional and host country's regulatory structure.

Reference Locators:

A spreadsheet created by Krisztian Magori that references and summarizes publications on Aedes aegypti can be found here. Items summarized in this spreadsheet include author, year, title, journal, species, location, reference, methods, conclusions, concerns, parameters, and developmental stage analyzed.

Literature Retrieval System -- the LRS -Publications can be retrieved from the Armed Forces Pest Management Board, Defense Pest Management Information Analysis Center

Tools:
the following links represent resources for the greater vector community

User Friendly Simulation Programs to Model Gene Drive: Several computer models have been created to assist in the analysis of gene drive systems as well as the population dynamics of the mosquito Aedes aegypti. A user manual for these programs gives step-by-step instructions on how to use the models and also includes exercises for exploring the models. These computer model programs are available for free downloading.  The site contains computer models for the following gene drive systems: MEDEA; Engineered Underdominance; Meiotic Drive; Homing Endonucleases. Most of the models are deterministic and assume no age or spatial structure. However, one Age Structured Model is included.  Additionally, a  biologically detailed model of Aedes aegypti population dynamics and gene drive, Skeeter Buster, is also available. (NESCent working group: Selfish DNA and the genetic control of vector-borne database)

Aedes aegypti Genome Project- In October 2006, The Institute for Genomic Research (TIGR) merged with several affiliated and legacy organizations - The Center for the Advancement of Genomics (TCAG), The J. Craig Venter Science Foundation, The Joint Technology Center, and the Institute for Biological Energy Alternatives (IBEA)- to form the new J. Craig Venter Institute.

e! Ensembl -produces and maintains Aedes aegypti genome annotation

Data Base Search tool for Anopheles gambiae Gene Expression Profile at UCI

Fitness studies:  developing a consensus methodology

Vector Base—A Bioinformatics Resource Center for invertebrate Vectors of Human Disease

Ano Base—The anopheles database

PlasmoDB: The Plasmodium Genome Resource - Release 5.2 -Version 4.4 is still available

Updated 9/28/2010