Talking Biotech with Dr. Kevin Folta

In the industrialized world the potato is defined as one of a few varieties of tuber crops.  But there is tremendous diversity available to be exploited, and potato breeders are folding that into modern germplasm using a variety of methods. Dr. David Douches from Michigan State University describes some of the current efforts in traditional potato breeding.  The history of potato improvement is di...

The sweet potato has special seasonal or fast-food application in the industrialized world, but in many parts of the world it is an important part of the daily diet.  The sweet potato is botanically distinct from the standard solanaceous potato, and stands to have additional application as a nutritious food for new populations.  Dr. Jan Kreuze is classically trained in plant virology and has pract...

The issues of biotechnology benefit from examination from social scientists.  There are scientists that help define the social reaction to science and the way that scientists need to communicate issues in technology.  Dr. Matthew Harsh is an Assistant Professor at the Centre for Engineering Technology at Concordia University in Montreal Canada.  The discussion talks about the interface of natural...

What are Specialty Crops?  These are the crops of the produce aisle, fruits, vegetables, nuts.  These are high-value crops that receive relatively little research funding compared to other types of the big-ag crops, things like corn, wheat, sugar and soy.   Helena Bottemiller-Evich is the Senior Food and Ag Reporter for Politico, and asks the question, “Why is the government not putting more fundi...

The newest and most promising therapies for challenging cancers are adopting molecular-biology strategies.  Brain tumors are especially problematic because of their location impedes patient function and presents formidable barriers to surgical treatments.  But new molecular approaches show promise.  A series of new techniques from viruses genetically trained to attack the tumor, to genetic modific...

This week’s podcast is an important discussion, a cautionary tale of what can happen when genetically-engineered crops are introduced to the environment.  Circumstances may lead to release of the transgene into sexually compatible wild plants, leading to its persistence in non-crop species.  Dr. Carol Mallory-Smith from Oregon State University has analyzed gene flow in grasses, and was the perfect...

Hormones, antibiotics, GMOs…  A trip to the grocery store is a battle against fear and guilt.  From marketers to activists, there is a concerted effort afoot to use fear, shame and guilt to shape consumer food choices.  Sadly, this is happening at a time of unprecedented abundance, yet a time when farmers are facing difficulty in competing against low prices and endless regulation.  Michele Payn i...

Aflatoxins are trace compounds produced by certain fungi, and represent a legitimate food safety risk.  These fungi grow on corn, peanuts and other crops, especially in warm, humid areas that lack fungal control measures.  They have been connected to numerous human diseases, primarily liver cancer, but also cause problems in livestock fed contaminated grain.  Dr. Monica Schmidt of the University o...

The effects of farm insect controls on butterflies and bees are important to understand.  Dr. Ric Bessin is an Extension Professor from the University of Kentucky is an entomologist that has studied this relationship.  The discussion covers GE crops and monarch butterflies, habitat loss, and host plants, as well as the relationship between bees and insect controls.  Hosted by Dr. Paul Vincelli. Dr...

We get lots of comments that the favorite episodes are when Kevin Folta answers your questions about food, farming, and genetic engineering.  Not to disappoint, this entire episode is dedicated to your questions. Except for the update on the “ GMO Corn Experiment “!! With special guest Vern Blazek # COLABRA Talking Biotech is brought to you by Colabra – an R&D platform that brings your lab’s w...

How do biotech seeds affect the end user?  If you listened to the “experts” they’d tell you that farmers were forced to buy seeds they didn’t want, because companies controlled their farms. Tell that to Rob Sharkey.  Rob is a farmer in Illinois that has been growing traited seeds his entire life, or at least as far as he can remember.  He’s become an outstanding advocate for agriculture with a gre...

Pears are favorite tree fruits, yet they are limited in varieties and availability.  Dr. Amit Dhingra from Washington State University explains the roots of pear domestication, its improvement, and why we see so few varieties.  In the second part of the podcast we explore some of the problems with creating new groves or orchards– where do we get more trees?  How can we do it faster?  He has starte...

There are no compounds that can be sprayed to fight plant viruses, so plant protection requires managing the insects that spread them.  This means use of insecticides that cost money and have potential impacts, such as affecting non-target insects.  Scientists have successfully used RNA-based strategies to fight plant viruses, but that has been through use of transgenic approaches where genetic ma...

Did you know that broccoli, kale, kohlrabi, brussels sprouts, cauliflower and cabbage are all the same species?  Just like dogs are highly-diverse members of the same species descended from a common ancestor, the members of Brassica oleracea also share a common genetic origin.  In this episode I’m joined by Dr. J. Chris Pires and his graduate students Makenzie Mabry and Shawn Abrahams from the Uni...

The National Academies of Science is one of the most respected scientific organizations on the planet, composed of well-established scientists and other scholars that perform important functions in vetting scientific claims and steering scientific agendas of a nation.  Every several years the NAS commissions a review of the literature on genetic engineering in crop plants.  Over the last several y...

Following on last week’s episode, plants contain a family of genes called “R genes” that play important roles in resistance to disease. They are part of an evolutionary arms race between plants and pathogens.  Matt Helm is a graduate student at Indiana University in Roger Innes’ lab. They are working on reworking the networks that sense pathogens, hoping to adapt their sensitivity to threats not i...

Plants contain a family of genes called “R genes” that play important roles in resistance to disease.  Plants and pathogens exist in an evolutionary arms race, each developing new means to attack or defend against the other.  Professor Jonathan Jones has been at the forefront of R gene biology for decades.  How to plants use these specialized molecules to detect a pathogen?  How do pathogens evade...

When we discuss new technology with the public, there is inevitable fear and push back with at least a fraction of those we are trying to reach. How we address this is critical to our own credibility.  Jay Baer is an author and consultant in customer service and marketing.  He has written the book Hug Your Haters, a book that outlines the value of criticism and the proper ways to address it.  Thes...

I’ll always remember 2016 as an eclectic mix of hell and success.  We learned a lot about how to engage the public and got lots of practice.  We took a lot of heat, suffered lots of personal and professional damage and defamation.  We got through it by telling the truth, being soft, and enjoying a conversation about science with the world’s experts.  Ultimately the efforts led to wonderful recogni...

Experts agree that dogs have evolved from the gray wolf, but after that there are many questions and debates about how and why they became our prized companions.  Prof. Greger Larson applies the lessons of evolution, archaeology and genomics to describe the canine lineage and describe this progression.  There are many inferences and surprises along the way, and DNA from dog fossils is shedding lig...

Discussion of biotechnology risks and benefits frequently cites “terminator genes” as a reason to oppose the technology. The fear is that these plants contain genetic information that can release widespread plant sterility, leading to the demise of the planet. However, there is much more to the story. The inventor of the technology, Dr. Mel Oliver, describes why the technology was devised, and how...

Dr. Mark Williams has extensive training in molecular biology.  He also is interested in sustainable crop production, and leads training in organic production at University of Kentucky.  In this interview he speaks about the intersection of these areas, touching on how what have been treated as disparate approaches really fit well together.  Dr. Williams touches on  gene editing, food labeling, en...

Increasing efficiency in photosynthesis has been one of the desired goals of plant biology.  A recent paper in the journal Science presents work by a team led by Dr. Stephen Long from the University of Illinois/University of Lancaster.  By overexpressing three genes in tobacco, the plants were able to increase carbon assimilation, showing that there are mechanisms to improve the process.  We discu...

The last episode contained information about glyphosate that was allegedly detected in common grocery store items.  Today’s podcast is an important follow up. At the time the discussion was 100% correct based on the methods and information provided.  I have since been contacted by the laboratory that did the testing.  I’m confident that their numbers were reported correctly, as described on their...

In the first part of this week’s podcast you’ll learn how to debunk a viral claim.  There are repeated claims that glyphosate, the active ingredient in the weed killer Roundup, is detected in a plethora of food, beverages and body fluids.  The reports are designed to scare people, especially targeting parents that are concerned about the food they feed to their families. This week a glossy brochur...