Talking Biotech with Dr. Kevin Folta

In today’s podcast we speak with science journalist and author Mark Lynas.  Mark has been a central figure in the discussion of biotechnology, particularly in regard to its role in ensuring food security in the Developing World.  In the 1990’s and early 2000’s you could find Mark destroying test plots of genetically engineered crops.  Later he would reconsider his view, and support the technology,...

Uganda is at an interesting precipice.  They have invested in biotech solutions to solve problems in their central food staples, namely the matooke.  The matooke is a starchy banana, and while a cornerstone of the diet, it is threatened by disease.  Most people are farmers, and tend to ‘gardens’ of 2-3 acres, these are subsistence farmers that use the gardens to feed their families.  Xanthamonas b...

Simple solutions can sometimes have tremendous impacts.  In this episode Bret Rierson from the World Food Programme discusses a solution to enhancing food security in Africa and around the world.  Most African farmers are small acreage subsistence farmers.  They eat and trade what the produce.  A simple hermetically-sealed, in-home grain silo can protect a harvest from insects, preserving the yiel...

The evolution of weed and insect resistance to traditional controls has brought about the need for new approaches in crop protection.  Today’s guest is Dr. Doug Sammons (@wiltedweeds) is a biochemist from the Monsanto Company.  He has spent a career in understanding mechanisms of herbicide action and resistance, and now discusses new approaches using RNAi to enhance weed sensitivity to herbicide t...

The American Chestnut dominated the Appalachian landscape, ranging from Georgia all the way to Maine.  In the late 1800’s a pathogen imported on a tree to the Bronx Zoo spread rapidly into wild populations, destroying millions of trees, and radically changing the forest.  There are natural sources of resistance to the pathogen that are being introduced to the American Chestnut with traditional bre...

The diamondback moth is a formidable agricultural pest, causing tremendous losses on farms and requiring significant cultural and chemical-based management on both conventional and organic farms.  Dr. Tony Shelton has studied the diamonback moth for decades, and now has initiated the first open field trails of a genetically engineered sterile insect technique that could be a helpful solution.  Dr....

Any podcast’s 100th episode is reason to celebrate.  In Talking Biotech’s 100th episode Chris Barbey interviews its originator, Dr. Kevin Folta, Professor and Chairman of the Horticultural Sciences Department at the University of Florida.  They discuss the current research efforts in Folta’s lab along with his science communication efforts and how activists have reshaped his career– simply because...

The herbicide glyphosate has been used for over 40 years and is a relatively safe and effective method to control weeds on the farm, in municipal areas and around the home.  It has been approved for safe use by many countries and evaluations by multiple independent governments have declared it to have minimal risk when used as directed.  However, glyphosate is the compound used on some genetically...

Modern cats are a lot like their wild counterparts, with specific traits that were gained through domestication.  Prof. Eva-Maria Geigl is a paleo-geneticist who examines ancient DNA sequences from mummified cat remains, and has reconstructed a genetic history of modern cats. Genetic evidence explains their origins and radiation, as well as key traits associated with human relations. # COLABRA Tal...

The annual report by agricultural economists Brookes and Barfoot is a helpful resource to understand the impacts of agricultural biotechnology.  The peer-reviewed report is dense, and contains substantial information about crop use, yields, production statistics, and ag input use worldwide.  It is a tremendous resource for hard data for discussing crops and the crop protection chemistries used.  T...

Regulation of new technology in food crops is important for many reasons. It is critical to ensure safety, but a robust regulatory system also shapes consumer sentiment.  Today’s guest is Dr. Robert Potter.  Dr. Potter has a diverse background spanning from molecular biology bench skills through participation in many nodes of the regulatory system.  He explains the importance of regulation and how...

Understanding animal stress is important for many reasons.  If we know how the animal brain responds to change it helps us understand habitat destruction and climate effects on population dynamics, and can provide important information about human impacts, adaptation, and animal conservation.  Understanding the animal neurological and physiological response to stress in models translates well to o...

Back in 2012 a paper rocked the scientific community .  The claim was that small RNA molecules in dietary plant products could escape digestion, move through the bloodstream, and cause regulatory changes in animal physiology.  The concept was that the food we ate could change gene expression in new, unexpected ways.  For those of us studying the literature this was a great breakthrough that seemed...

A story exploded in the New York Times claiming that glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup and a potent herbicide, was detected in 10/11 flavors of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream.  The anti-biotech universe propagated the story, implying a dangerous threat from this historically socially responsible product.   There are several important questions here.   *Is this an appropriate way to report sc...

Dr. Sabina Vidal is a professor at the National Republic University in Uruguay.  Her lab is interested in the genetic improvement of soybean, especially in response to abiotic stress.  This episode talks about her journey, her lab’s approaches, and about the strangling regulations that stop innovation from being implemented.  The over-reaching regulatory burdens eliminate the possibility of resear...

Today’s genomics explosion has foundations in seminal discoveries in molecular biology almost 50 years ago.  Today’s guest, Sir Richard Roberts, was a pivotal figure in a number of these areas. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1993 as a co-discoverer of the intron, a part of many eukaryotic genes that contains no protein-coding function, yet can have important roles in a gene’s structure as well...

Neonicotinoids (neonics) are a class of insecticides based on natural plant compounds that disrupt the insect nervous system. They are used because they have relatively low toxicity on non-insects.  They are applied as seed coatings, so when a seed germinates the water-soluble insecticides are taken up and mobilized throughout the plant, providing protection against insects that feed on it.  The s...

Domestication Dr. Lazaro Peres  De novo domestication also has the potential to expand genetic diversity in crops, potentially conferring additional roles in food security. # COLABRA Talking Biotech is brought to you by Colabra – an R&D platform that brings your lab’s world-changing research together in one shared space. Learn more at https://www.colabra.app/ # TALKING BIOTECH Twitter: https:/...

The representation of crop biotechnology in film has been an asymmetrical assault on science and reason.  Food Evolution breaks that trend. The film tells several stories of biotech applications, where “GMO” crops are the centers of policy decisions.  The film features scientists standing up for science and reason, and activists working hard against it, pushing to influence policy even if it means...

Glyphosate, the active ingredient in the herbicide Roundup, has been used as a non-selective (kills all plants) herbicide since 1970.  It blocks a necessary step in plant metabolism and the plant dies, yet it has lower acute toxicity than table salt to animals. It is inexpensive, and a small amount works well, with rapid turnover in the environment. For this reason it has been widely used in munic...

The documentary space is filled with disparaging films about food science, including those that target biotechnology.  Many of these films feature artistic flair, and tell a compelling story through the lens of the camera– even if it is not true.  Filmmaker Nick Saik applies his craft to in the development of a science-based documentary about the use of technology to feed more people, more nutriti...

Forests are under many threats, from new pests and pathogens, to invasive trees, to climate.  The advancement of these traits by far exceeds the natural response of trees to acclimate, and outpaces the efforts to traditionally breed trees for forest conservation and restoration.  Dr. Ellen V. Crocker is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Kentucky.  She talks about the current threats t...

While the technologies of genetic engineering are quite commonplace, it was not always the case.  The scientists that blazed the trail hold tremendous history, and it is good to visit with them to understand where the technology came from and where it is going. Dr. Maurice Moloney was there in the beginning, working with Calgene and some early issues in transgenic crops.  He also has served as a l...

In the race to feed 10 billion people by 2050 some agricultural production will shift to where people live.  The idea of vertical farms or repurposing urban space for agriculture is becoming increasingly feasible, as lighting, cooling, and automation advances are more and more efficient.  These concepts are being explored worldwide.  The International Congress on Controlled Environment Agriculture...

Uruguay is a major producer of soy and corn from genetically engineered seeds, with over 2.5 million acres in production.  Dr. Paul Vincelli talks about the regulatory framework in Uruguay with Dr. Alejandra Ferenczi, Head of Biosecurity with the Ministry of Agriculture in Uruguay.  The regulatory system of Uruguay involves many levels of regulation and input to evaluate the safety of the crops. ...