Episode Details

The USDA New World Screwworm Grand Challenge represents the largest single funding opportunity for screwworm research and control technologies in decades. Applications are due February 23, 2026.

What's happening?
The New World Screwworm (NWS) is a flesh-eating fly endemic to the Americas that lays eggs in open wounds of warm-blooded animals. The larvae burrow into living flesh, consuming the host from inside. Infected animals experience excruciating pain, stop eating, and die slowly over days to weeks. This parasite occasionally infects humans too. NWS was previously eradicated from North and Central America, although containment efforts failed in 2024 and the parasite has reached Northern Mexico in January 2026.

New technologies like gene-drive-enhanced sterile insect technique (SIT) could make large-scale control and eradication faster and cheaper than ever before. The USDA Grand Challenge represents an opportunity to direct funding to developing technologies with potential applications beyond the United States southern border. Next-gen SIT and gene-drive could help extend the range of control and eradication to South America for the first time, safeguarding rural livelihoods and the wellbeing of hundreds of millions of animals.

Screwworm Free Future is supporting qualified applicants -- particularly those working in or with endemic regions [...]

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First published:
February 5th, 2026

Source:
https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/QKWsxxQHni7cy3oq9/the-usda-is-investing-usd100m-in-innovation-for-screwworm

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Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.