Gabriela Gandelini’s Post

New Genomic Techniques (NGTs), such as gene-editing through the use of #biotechnology like CRISPR-Cas9, have the ability to create much more resilient and environmentally sustainable crop production around the world. This is a benefit to both farmers and consumers. The Biotechnology Innovation Organization supports the idea behind a new regulatory pathway in Europe for gene-edited plants. #Biotech has the ability to help Feed, Fuel, and Heal the world.

🚜 By allowing corporations to patent and control seeds, seed privatization laws restrict farmers' access to traditional and locally adapted varieties, forcing dependency on expensive genetically modified seeds that promote monocultures. Seed privatization also concentrates power in the hands of a few agribusiness giants, namely Syngenta, Bayer, BASF and Corteva which together control half of the world's seed market. #CorporateAccountability #BigFood #FoodSovereignty #FoodJustice #SeedSovereignty

Alicia Castillo Holley, PhD, MBA, MSci and I had a great call yesterday when I learned much about her experience at the Platform 10 conference. This Economic/Finance PhD, Investor ,Health-tech, ag-tech, climate, energy, mobility, and space person packs a big punch. Talk to her!! Farmers do not work in isolation. They care deeply, and their decisions have long-term implications for themselves, their community, their buyers, and the consumers of their products. This is a stark contrast to industries like AI, SaaS, cybersecurity, and e-commerce, where consequences are often limited in time and space. Farmers impact can last a long time in soil, economy, and improvement. Alicia content below speaks about: Farmers’ Insights, Biologics, Cooperation, International Collaboration, Investor Caution, Unity, and off course AI/ML.

What a wonderful article that highlights the impact of my dad's career! It's been an honor, Robb Fraley, to watch your research and leadership have a lasting impact on the agriculture world!

🌱 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐛𝐢𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐢𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐬 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞 🌱 I’m convinced that this is the future of synthetic biology and biotechnology that we’ve been inspired by — and it’s something we should all be excited about. 🚀 Many compare biotech to the IT revolution that began in the 80s. But for biotech to truly reach that level of transformation, 𝐰𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐬 with real-world utility. Think about it: the simplest “products” of biology are the plants, fruits, and crops we consume by the millions of tons every day. 🌾🍎 With biotechnology, we can apply our knowledge of nutrition and flavour preferences to 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭:: • Grow faster • Cost less • Taste better • Provide superior nutrition 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭? 🌍 For many of these products, like peas, we already have the global infrastructure in place to harvest, process, and distribute them worldwide. So, what’s holding us back? The regulatory environment and public perception. But with the right mindset and support, this future isn’t far off. Thanks for inspiration Matthieu Vincent!

Check out this article on science communication re: agricultural biotechnology written by NCSSM AgBiotech alum, Madison Lawson!

One of the most interesting events I've attended this year was the 2024 Biologics Conference in Salinas. It took me back to my early professional years as well as my life-long interest in growing food. I have fond memories of rice fields, water, and my fascination with the rainbow colors over the water (product of the oily spray of DDT) at my parents' farm in Acarigua. Decades later, I was completely in love with physics, communism, and the church (who wants a boring life anyways). Yet, instead of exploring space, I read "La miseria en Venezuela" by Chossudovsky, and decided to devote my life to feeding people. I studied agronomy and spent years in plant genetics... Fast forward 40 years or so, I find myself in my element, but more so, back to the basics that make my love agriculture: it is a caring industry. Farmers are heroes: they care for plants (or animals), for their workers, for the soil, the environment, the clients (and the users), the machinery, and the community. Farmers do not work in isolation, in time and space. They care. Their decisions have long implications for themselves, their community, the people that buy from them, and the people that eat their products. What a difference to AI, SaaS, cybersecurity, e-commerce, etc... where consequences are limited in time and space. Key insights from the conference: 1. Biologics are produced from living organisms or contain components of living organisms. 2. Farmers have great insights on the use, and consequences of the use of biologics in agriculture. 3. Brazil is leading the regulation of biologics, followed closely by the USA and specifically, California. 4. Cooperation is essential. Individuality doesn't work in agriculture. 5. International collaboration is growing: the Platform 10 Global Partner Network is leading the way: https://www.platform10.ag/ 6. Investors are cautious, none of the big crop protection companies has strong biologicals R&D capabilities (and M&A are not common). 7. Biologics need a third party validation. 8. MixingBowlHub.com has a great compendium of the biologics landscape. 9. Farmers are united in finding better ways to create food and care for their land. 10. AI/ML helps develop new molecules but still have to earn regulatory, validation, and customer acquisition. The conference was also a testimony of diversity and inclusion, camaraderie, and excellence. Very grateful to Martha Montoya for alerting me to the Conference. In awe of the Western Growers Association, specially Dennis Donohue and Walt Duflock, super cool to meet big researchers like Pam Marrone and Richard Newcomb; community builders Rob Trice and Chris Taylor; consumer expert Sherry Frey and great to finally meet Danny Bernstein, VC investor, amongst the many talented, fun and progressive people. Refreshing, nurturing, deep, and natural.

We certainly need a balanced IP system that truly protects plant breeders’ rights for varieties and patents for plant biotechnology inventions. New genomic techniques (NGTs) should be granted with patent rights as patents shall be available for all innovations. #innovation #IP #PBP #ngts

My opinion always align with technologies backed by scietific facts. Genetic engineering is one of the most important tools which must be accepted by society all over the world for revolutionizing the agriculture sector.