Responsive ecotechnology development for localized alteration of wild populations

Abstract

Recent advances in ecotechnological development, including the invention of CRISPR-enabled gene drive, have augmented our potential to shape the genetic portrait of shared ecosystems. Applications for technologies of this nature have been proposed for addressing large-scale ecological phenomena, including elimination of vector-borne illness, invasive species removal, conservation, and more. In most instances, communities directly affected by the environmental challenge are not involved in the development of the resolving technology-rather, engagement typically occurs only when assessing community acceptance of a fully-developed biological tool. In response to this, we have devised the Responsive Science (RS) model - a pipeline for ecotechnological intervention which emphasizes community interaction and governance from the earliest stages of research. This thesis aims to assess current projects operating within principles of RS, focusing primarily on Saint John, USVI, and propose best-practice frameworks for early-stage community interaction within the context of biotechnological development.