A global perspective on the developments in biotech regulations
Posted 28th June 2019 by Jane Williams
The ECJ ruling on GMOs has raised pertinent issues. How will it impact on current and future research? What are the optimum routes to progressing plant research?
In light of the ruling, it was a good time to welcome experts in policy and regulatory affairs to the recent 7th Plant Genomics & Gene Editing Congress: Europe to explore these issues. We’re lucky to be able to share this presentation from the event for those that weren’t able to make it. Watch it here.
Developing Live Microbial Products with Science Driven Understanding
Posted 29th March 2019 by Joshua Sewell
Günter Welz is part of the Open Innovation and Strategic Partnerships department at Bayer. He scouts for and builds relationships with external innovators in academia and business to enrich Bayer’s R&D pipeline, using various tools like the Open Innovation website and the venture capital arm.
Use and misuse of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing
Posted 12th November 2018 by Jane Williams
Since its discovery in 2012, the use of the CRISPR/Cas9 system to edit genomes has raised the expectations for the cure of untreatable disorders. Very often, as biomedical geneticists we found ourselves talking about the potentials and drawbacks of CRIPSR/Cas9 both at scientific and layman level.
Challenges of epigenetic studies in plants: focus on ChIP technique
Posted 26th October 2018 by Jane Williams
Agnieszka Zelisko-Schmidt from Diagenode elaborates on their poster presented at the 6th Plant Genomics & Gene Editing Congress: Europe, explaining how regulatory pathways in plants can be unravelled using the universal plant ChIP-seq kit.
Increasing Shelf Life of Perishable Produce Using Patented Gene Technology
Posted 21st September 2018 by Jane Williams
The eIF‑5A protein is highly conserved in all plants and animals and is the only protein in any organism that has the unique hypusine modification caused by the Deoxyhypusine Synthase (DHS) enzyme. The unmodified-to-hypusinated ratio of these two forms of eIF‑5A determines the fate of the cell. Recent studies suggest that eIF‑5A is mainly involved in RNA metabolism and movement through the cell, thereby regulating cell growth, proliferation, and programmed death. These stable genetic changes will significantly enhance crop traits, including:
An Updated Round-Up of the Top Plant Genome Databases
Posted 29th August 2018 by Jane Williams
There’s more plant genome databases than there ever has been before. We’ve collated the most recent databases for ontology information on a variety of crops, including: rice, maize, wheat, sorghum, barley, millet, rye, and oats.
The Long Shadow of the European Ruling on New Breeding Technologies
Posted 1st August 2018 by Jane Williams
Last week, the European Court of Justice ruled that gene-edited crops are equivalent to transgenic GMOs. The court ruling came as a surprise because it negates a preliminary opinion that was issued by the court’s Advocate General Michael Bobek in January 2018. This reactionary ECJ ruling might become the final nail in the coffin of the European Agbiotech sector and many scientists, including myself, are concerned that it will discourage the use of genome editing in agriculture.
Gaining Public Confidence in Genetically Modified Products
Posted 9th July 2018 by Jane Williams
Despite the fact that GMs have been around for over thirty years, they still ignite debate. We spoke to Professor Jim Dunwell, University of Reading, at the 6th Plant Genomics & Gene Editing Congress: Europe to discuss the steps that should be taken to gain the public’s confidence.