Researchers used CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing to introduce a naturally occurring variant into the mosquito FREP1 gene, rendering mosquitoes resistant to malaria parasite transmission. This single amino acid alteration (L224Q) disrupts parasite development without affecting mosquito viability. The team incorporated an autosomal allelic drive system that enhances spread of the protective allele in wild populations. This approach offers a novel genetic strategy to curb malaria by modifying existing mosquito populations rather than suppressing or eliminating them.