John Marshall, PhD
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, UCLA
Based at: Malaria Research and Training Center, University of Bamako, Mali

Research Interests

Bioethics, selfish genetic elements, population biology, Bayesian statistics, self-organised criticality, laser physics.

Short Bio

My PhD research was in the field of mathematical biology, modeling the use of selfish genetic elements to spread anti-malarial genes into mosquito populations. This is an exciting research field, since it involves fascinating genetics and offers much promise to reduce the African malaria burden. However the release of transgenic organisms also provokes many serious ethical concerns - discussion of which has been extremely limited.

My current research interests are two-fold. With a team at the University of Bamako in Mali, West Africa, I am conducting public surveys of the perspectives of local Malians to nature, biotechnology and, where possible, genetic modication for disease control. We believe that the beliefs and values of many people in Africa are dramatically different from those of the scientific community, and of the Western world in general. Given the importance of widespread public approval prior to a transgenic release in a foreign country, a good understanding of the perspectives of African people to genetic modification is essential.

Secondly, in conjunction with ecological studies of mosquito dispersal, I am developing a mathematical model for the spatial spread of mosquitoes through habitats punctuated by huts and breeding sites. This is of particular relevance to understanding the rate at which transgenic mosquitoes spread following an intentional or accidental release. It is also of relevance to predicting the success of spatially-targeted mosquito control programs. Many of these do not rely on transgenesis, but rather on the use of insecticide-treated walls and bednets.

Other Interests

DJing, journalism, human rights, swimming, vegetarianism.