MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the Screwworm Research Laboratory is to provide basic and applied research needed to eradicate screwworm from Central America and the Caribbean, and to protect against reinfestation. Specifically, the mission includes: 1) apply quantitative procedures to characterize screwworm ecology in Central America and the Caribbean; 2) assess current technology in remote sensing applicable to the prediction of screwworm distribution; 3) develop new sterile male release strategies for use in the barrier zone and in outbreak areas that have been previously eradicated; 4) develop and evaluate new screwworm strains for large-scale production and use in the eradication program; 5) improve screwworm diet and rearing technology; and 6) further characterize the influence of the genetic changes occurring during colonization of screwworm strains in the production facility.