UCI’s James, Mark join panels at prestigious Aspen Ideas Fest

Two of UCI’s most high-profile researchers are featured at this year’s Aspen Ideas Festival, at which leaders from around the globe and across many disciplines engage in deep and inquisitive discussion of current innovations and issues. On Friday, June 24, UCI vector biologist Anthony James participated in a panel on recent advances in gene editing that have allowed James to develop malaria-resistant mosquitoes and are being studied as a way to remove HIV from infected cells. The panelists examined the ethical considerations, opportunities and risks associated with genetic editing. In a breakout discussion on Friday, July 1, UCI informatics professor Gloria Mark, who studies the impact of digital technology on our lives, will weigh in on the power of day-to-day connectivity. The festival, launched in 2005 and held annually at the Aspen Institute in Colorado, also featured Mark in an online Q&A.