Product Development

Our goal at Genesis, is not only to research problems, but to develop solutions.  We take the problem at hand, develop research protocols, discern possible solutions, then develop a product to help solve the problem.  Case in point: plague has proven to be a problem in the western U.S., and many parts of the world.  This flea-borne disease has been responsible for killing millions of humans over the centuries.  Traditional rodent control has involved blending baits with toxic chemicals to kill the rodent in question.  The only problem is that killing the rodent frees up the fleas the host.  Only problem? Those fleas may carry plague bacteria.  In 1999 Genesis scientists embarked on screening scores of compounds that might serve as a control agent when incorporated into rodent baits, to not only kill the rat or mouse, but also the fleas they host. Some insecticides are absorbed into the blood, or systemic in nature, and are able to kill blood-sucking parasites, such as fleas.  Hundreds of experiments in the lab and field have resulted in products that can take care of the problem.  Solutions provided!

Thousands of people die every year from visceral leishmaniasis, or black fever.  When presented the challenge Genesis scientists began looking for solutions for the control of the vector, a tiny insect known as a sand fly.  These insects are attracted to domestic animals such as cows, goats, and dogs.  In many part of the world, dogs are the primary host of the parasite.  In Inida, the problem is quite unique.  Humans are considered the primary host of the disease.  However, the rural poor own livestock, and often take the animals into the home at night.  The blood seeking sand flies search out food in order to lay eggs.  Often attracted to cattle and goats, sand flies living in home and nearby breeding areas, enter homes and bite humans thus transmitting the disease.  efforts are underway to develop systemic products for livestock that will kill hundreds of thousands of sand flies that feed on livestock blood.  The goal is to reduce the number of cases of black fever, by greatly knocking down the population of the the vector, the sand fly.  Since the average income of many of the households of the state of Bihar, India earn an average annual income of only $400, the challenge to Genesis will be greater, in developing products that can be affored by the rural poor.