Genetically modified insects: Can they save lives, biodiversity, and agriculture?

The targets for genetic engineering of insects for pest management range from mosquitoes that transmit malaria to agricultural pests that devastate crops, as well as invasive pests that cause extinction of endangered species. In this presentation I will provide a summary of experimental, theoretical, and practical issues being addressed by researchers attempting to genetically suppress or alter insect pest populations. The technical and social challenges facing this new area of applied science are as interesting as they are challenging.