Biocentis Has Been Awarded a Grant to Pioneer the Development of AI Based Simulation Tools to Predict the Seasonal Distribution of Harmful Insects
While insects play an essential role in the global ecosystem, among the planet’s millions of insect species are those that have catastrophic effects on humans and the environment. Insects spread diseases that cause hundreds of thousands of deaths every year. Agricultural insect pests damage up to 25% of the global crop production, while invasive insects threaten ecosystems and biodiversity by displacing native species.
Being able to anticipate how harmful insect populations will evolve over time is invaluable to inform the implementation of effective and targeted pest management practices. However, to date, there are few reliable tools available to assist in making such predictions.
This is the reason Biocentis has been awarded EU funding in the context of NextGenerationEU to carry out the project PesTwin, which is aimed at developing a digital twin of how pests interact with the environment. The digital twin will leverage biological and environmental data to predict the evolution of a pest population and the damage it causes. PesTwin will take Drosophila suzukii, a highly invasive pest of soft-skinned fruits, as first case study. However, it will be highly flexible so that in the future it can be extended to other species.
The project will be carried out by Biocentis in collaboration with the University of Pavia and has been selected and funded as part of the Research and Innovation Programme of the innovation ecosystem “NODES - Digital and Sustainable North-West”.
Matteo Rucco, Biocentis Data Science Manager overseeing the project, emphasized the significance of the project: “PesTwin represents a critical advancement in the development of sophisticated simulation tools that can be used to enable more precise and effective pest management practices and reduce reliance on chemical insecticides. As Biocentis' insect control platform is based on the release of insects which can reduce the size of wild populations through mating, these simulation tools will allow for the optimization of its deployment in the field. This will further increase our company’s competitive edge.”
This is the second grant won by Biocentis over the course of 2023, reaffirming the excellence of the company’s work to address the most pressing challenges posed by harmful insects.
For more information about Biocentis and their groundbreaking insect control solutions, please visit biocentis.com.
About Biocentis:
Biocentis is a biotech company and spin-out of Imperial College London who is re-imagining the future of insect control with a unique technology platform that combines environmental sustainability and unprecedented effectiveness. Biocentis wants to empower communities to combat disease-carrying insect vectors, protect crops and safeguard biodiversity.