Precision pest control - toxin development using genome mining

The survival of our unique New Zealand wildlife depends on controlling invasive pests like rats, stoats and possums. Current pest control technologies have limitations, so we need new and innovative tools to achieve our ambitious predator control goals.

Erica is trying to advance the development of species-specific toxins using genomics data. With support from the New Zealand eResearch Infrastructure (NeSI), Erica is able to compare protein information from different animals, with the goal of predicting good targets to combat our pest population. This work expands upon previous foundational science showing the potential of the genome mining platform for species-specific toxin design.

Erica will cover the aim of this research and how she is applying research strategies from the pharmaceutical industry to toxin development.

This event is brought to you by Manaaki Whenua as part of our Biosecurity Bonanza webinar series. We are New Zealand's Crown Research Institute (CRI) for our land environment. Our scientists undertake world-class science focused on New Zealand’s biodiversity, biosecurity, land resources and environment. We work with other Crown Research Institutes, universities, businesses and the wider science system to create impactful, relevant and useful research.

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