IIA Resources
Michigan State University (MSU) is internationally recognized as a center of excellence in agricultural biotechnology research and development and in the complex socioeconomic issues that surround this diverse field. More than 150 full-time faculty are engaged in plant science research and teaching, and programs have access to excellent laboratory research facilities, greenhouse and growth chambers, in addition to facilities for field research on campus and on 15 outlying experimental research stations.
Biotechnology
Participating Faculty:
Dr. Richard Allison
Dr. Allison's continuing research examines the risks of the release of
virus resistant transgenic plants into the environment. Specifically, addressing the possibility that the viral transgene is available for recombination with a virus challenging
the transgenic plant.
He and his colleagues are also exploring novel methods of transforming plants with a focus on difficult to transform species such as large seeded legumes including dry beans, soybeans and cowpeas.
Dr. Dave Douches
The Potato Breeding and Genetics program is involved in transformation of potato to introduce traits of economic importance. These traits include the Bt genes for insect resistance to potato tuber moth (USAID-funded South Africa project) and Colorado potato beetle (funded by GREEEN). They are also exploring the efficacy of avidin for use in control of both pests. Dr. Douches and colleagues are currently investigating an R-gene from a related potato species to confer late blight resistance. Other research includes a collaborative project with Dr. Mike Thomashow using the CBF1 transcription factor to confer drought stress resistance, as well as the insertion of genes for vitamin E synthesis in cultivated potato.
Click here to Read more about Dr. Douches' international potato research program.
Dr. Grumet's lab is involved in both production and safety evaluation of transgenic plants. From the production end they are introducing genes into cucumber and melon that confer virus resistance, salt stress resistance, and modified flowering to allow for earlier fruit production. They have also been involved in environmental safety assessment with respect to pollen mediated gene transfer, and are currently investigating secondary effects that may result from engineering stress resistance using alternate types of genes. Dr. Grumet is also part of the PBS/MSU team involved in developing and delivering short courses for international audiences dealing with environmental safety of transgenic crops.
Consulting firms:
Crop Technology Consulting, Inc.
Dr. Hector Quemada is the founder and principle consultant for Crop Technology Consulting, Inc.. His involvement with the Institute of International Agriculture began with the Agricutural Biotechnology Support Project (ABSP) when he was a contracted consultant who proposed commercialization guidelines for transgenic crops in Egypt. Dr. Quemada has also conducted assessments of biotechnology and biosafety capacity in Uganda, Kenya and South Africa. Currently, he is responsible for coordinating the work to assemble a regulatory approval file for the commercialization of a Bt-potato transgenic line in South Africa, an IIA project funded by USAID.
Food Safety
MSU houses the National Food Safety and Toxicology Center the aim of which is to conduct research that will help to develop a safer food supply, well-founded public policy, and a greater public understanding of food safety issues. The Center also has several experts on international food and agricultural standards and the sociological and cultural issues that affect how technologies are created and received.
MSU Office of Intellectual Property
The Office of Intellectual Property (OIP) at Michigan State University (MSU) facilitates the commercial development and public use of technology developed by MSU researchers. Established in 1992, the office handles intellectual properties and inventions developed or created by MSU faculty, staff and students. MSU-OIP's technology transfer program is one of the top ten in the country, with royalties of more than $20 million per year. OIP also provides assistance and support to international projects such as with ABSP I.
A two-week internship program in IPR and technology transfer organized at MSU in 1996 by ABSP in cooperation with the OIP was so successful that it has grown in to an annual short course at MSU run in collaboration with the Institute of International Agriculture. During the last five years, 84 international participants have attended this unique hands-on training program.
