Science Speaks: From a human-scented mosquito trap to rapid diagnostics, USAID funds research and development against Zika
“A research center in Tanzania will develop inexpensive sandals treated to ward off mosquito bites. Investigators at Johns Hopkins will create a human-scented trap to lure mosquitoes. In Sao Paolo, Brazil, inventors will make an ‘intelligent trap’ for mosquitoes to improve Zika surveillance. A San Francisco company will build a citizen-led disease-risk mapping system. These are some of the answers to a challenge presented in April by the United States Agency for International Development inviting scientists, researchers, and inventors worldwide to come up with measures to fight the spread of Zika…” (Barton, 8/10).

Washington Post: The government asked innovators to combat Zika. Here are their ideas.
“…As USAID learned with the Ebola challenge, disease outbreaks don’t happen on an innovator’s timeline. The solutions are needed now, whether or not the technology is ready. This time around, however, the agency funded projects that are likely to come to market in the near term, as well as ideas that may not be ready until the next major health crisis. … The agency plans to announce more winners later this month. They will share $30 million in grant money…” (Overly, 8/11).