Our research is focused on developing effective control products and processes against disease-transmitting insects. In particular, we aim to develop innovative, low-tech products that are practical and efficient against insects in resource-poor settings of disease-endemic countries. In2Care strives for innovations that are new in the sense of being really effective where they need to be, as well as affordable and sustainable. Our research aims to bridge the gap between scientific knowledge and practice and encompasses the full range of the product development chain: idea –> product –>marketing.

 

R&D

We strive for innovative and applied research that incorporates the practical issues and demands of local end-users. Our R&D process consists of developing the most promising scientific research findings into useful products/processes with the help of creative solutions from the industry and insights from local partners.  For example, we aim to develop low-tech mosquito traps, tick control products and novel biological control alternatives for flying insects. For this, we use practical, low-tech and low-cost processes to develop sound prototypes and test these against their target insects in both the laboratory and the field.

In2Care also aims to create innovative types of control products, for instance by using active ingredients with novel modes of action (such as slow-killing and biological agents), and developing novel and sustainable means for their application, for instance by using localized applications or combinations with insect attractants).

Re-engineering

In2Care also re-engineers (i.e. adjusts, combines and/or optimises) existing technologies and products into new, improved and applicable prototypes. By stepping into the product development chain halfway, we can speed up the development process and rapidly create effective products that can be used in a broad target market. For example, we aim to combine novel insect control agents (such as entomopathogenic fungi) with coating application methods from the industry and/or insect attractants.

In2Care aims to combine the most promising available technologies and to involve industrial partners that can eventually market the end-products. We will closely collaborate with industrial partners during the product development in order to incorporate their technical know-how and wishes and thereby establish applicable technologies that can be commercially viable.

Validation

Our research includes the validation of existing and/or already marketed insect control products. We perform rapid and sound scientific evaluations of consumer products (such as ointments, repellents, traps and insecticides) against their target insects. Through this service we aim to help protect the public from malware by validating the effectiveness of insect control products and by helping companies and producers to improve the impact of their products.

By incorporating the R&D, re-engineering and validation of insect control solutions, In2Care has the unique opportunity to integrate knowledge and to rapidly translate its research findings into a broad range of developments for several target insects