Texas A&M University is conducting a webinar and focus group on Gene Drive.

Time: May 7, 2021 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM Central Time

Topic: “What is gene drive and why should Texans care?”

Presented by Micky Eubanks, PhD,
Texas A&M University, Department of Entomology

There is no pre-registration for this webinar.

We invite you to take part in a focus group study after the webinar. For this focus group, we’re looking for adults (age 18 and over) to talk with us about the new genetic technology and its potential use in agricultural pest management. “Gene drive” is a new form of genetic technology that increases the chances that a specific trait will be passed on from one generation to the next. Research on gene drive is at a very early stage. Many authorities have called for public discussion about the possible benefits and harms of gene drive before the technology is fully developed. The USDA has funded a team from Texas A&M University, UT Southwestern, and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service to study Texans’ opinions on the potential for gene drive technology in agricultural pest management. We are interested in whether and how people think this new technology might be used and how it should be managed.

Following the webinar, Elizabeth Heitman from UT Southwestern will lead a focused discussion with a group of up to 10 adults who heard the presentation. This discussion will last between an hour to 90 minutes (11 AM – 12:30 PM) and is completely voluntary. Because the discussion is part of a research study, the session will be recorded for later review, but participants will not be personally identified. Participants will be compensated for participating in this focus group for their time and effort. For more information about the study, please contact Elizabeth Heitman at (615) 481-0638. This study has been approved by UT Southwestern’s Institutional Review Board, under project # STU-2019-1173 (as of 3/19/21) and by Texas A&M’s Institutional Review Board under project #IRB2019-0857D (as of 3/25/21). You may contact UT Southwestern’s IRB at (214) 648-3060 if you have questions about your rights as a research participant or to report a problem.

Join the Webinar using Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81416119973?pwd=VHpuQkd5T0t1Q3NERU13VnRsM2NZQT09

Meeting ID: 814 1611 9973
Passcode: 332348

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