Rebeca Carballar-Lejarazú’s research is focused on insect molecular genetics, vector biology, and the development of synthetic approaches to prevent the transmission of mosquito-borne diseases. She has used several genetic strategies such as transposon-based random integration, phiC31 docking-site integration and CRISPR/Cas9 site-specific genome editing technologies to develop transgenic mosquitoes. Dr. Carballar-Lejarazú is currently working on the development, optimization, and evaluation of a CRISPR/Cas9 gene drive system to engineer mosquitoes that resist malaria parasites (population modification/replacement) in two main malaria African vectors Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles coluzzii. Her insect interests have been centered mainly on vector mosquitoes. However, in 2014, she started a collaboration with Professor Sonqing Wu to study biopesticides to control crop pest in China.