Monthly Archives: July 2024

By James Chesters 16 July 2024 4 min read

Senior scientist Thomas Vanhercke didnt plan his career as much as he could have. When he was growing up, he followed his passion instead.

"In science you must be driven by passion, an insatiable thirst for knowledge, and lots of patience, Thomas says.

People always say to follow your heart. It might seem trivial, but its very important.

Following his passion has made Thomas who he is today. His passion for genetics started in high school. Then, he pursued a MSc and PhD in Bioengineering at Ghent University the birthplace of plant genetic engineering.Thomas was intrigued by how genetic research can be applied in agriculture.

Today, Thomas passion and skills make him an expert in metabolic engineering and synthetic biology. This involves genetically engineering microbes and plants to produce specific ingredients and molecules.Thomas leads teams tackling some of the biggest hurdles in food and agriculture.

Thomas Vanhercke currently leads our Synthetic Traits group, overseeing novel protein production research for our Future Protein mission.

Our agricultural and food systems face some serious challenges. From adapting to a changing climate to shifting towards more sustainable practices, Thomas says.

By 2050, the global population will reach 9.7 billion . This will cause the worlds annual demand for protein to almost double. With no more land available for grazing cattle, our current ways of producing protein cant meet future demand.

Malnutrition also remains one of the worlds greatest challenges. Even if food is readily available, people are often undernourished. This is from diets lacking in micronutrients like iron and zinc.

But Thomas is fascinated with how genetic engineering can unlock solutions to agricultural challenges. He sees opportunities where others see problems.

Our Future Protein research brings together expertise from many scientific disciplines and sectors. Were here to tackle the challenges ahead through a coordinated and sustained effort.

Thomas oversees novel protein production research for our Future Protein purpose-led innovation initiative. This means harnessing the potential in existing food streams to produce high-value ingredients.

Technologies like precision fermentation and molecular farming sound futuristic. But they help complement traditional food systems, such as livestock and broadacre crops.

Our scientists use precision fermentation and molecular farming to engineer microbes and plants. Theyre cooking up specific, customised molecules to serve as new ingredients. These will enhance the taste, texture, colour or mouthfeel of our foods.

This process has a long and safe history in supplementing and diversifying our foods. Technological advances have brought down the cost of precision fermentation. So now were using it to create new, high-value food products.

Were not just improving the consumer experience. Precision fermentation can create ingredients that address other concerns such as sustainability, nutrition, or animal welfare, Thomas says.

Red meat, dairy, and seafood are here to stay. These animal-based proteins will continue playing a vital role in human diets globally.

Proteins made through precision fermentation using ingredients like yeast complement animal-based sources. Theyll help us meet growing demand, without sacrificing on quality. This holistic approach offers more protein choices to suit individual dietary, nutritional and taste preferences.

Were not just improving the consumer experience. Precision fermentation can create ingredients that address other concerns such as sustainability, nutrition, or animal welfare, Thomas says.

Thomas says were starting to see lot of activity and investment in this space. This includes developing hybrid food products that combine animal-, plant- and fermentation-derived ingredients.

I think the next exciting frontier will be the boundaries between different food production systems. For example, making sure that no food byproducts go to waste, he says.

Thomas also heads up our Synthetic Traits research, applying engineering principles to plants. Their successes include developing the science for canola crops with high levels of healthy omega-3 oils.

Synthetic biology applies engineering principles to biology. In other words, creating solutions from natures building blocks.

For example, Thomas and his team are working on new crops that can convert their own nitrogen for growth. This will help farmers to use less nitrogen fertiliser which impacts the environment while still growing enough food.

Thomas is clear that great science needs diversity. He believes that innovation relies on people with different knowledge and skills coming together. This diversity could range from technical expertise to research infrastructure. It incorporates business development and intellectual property knowledge, as well as delving into market trends.

No one can do everything by themselves, we each stand on the shoulders of many others, Thomas says.

Diversity of knowledge, experience, and thought are critical, he says.

Thomas has big ideas about how to inspire the next generation of scientists. He believes role models, mentoring, and a strong science curriculum are all important.

I encountered several inspiring people along the way who have gently helped me in stepping outside my comfort zones and have pushed me in the right direction, Thomas says.

Hopefully I am continuing their example by inspiring others around me.

Since taking on more responsibilities as a leader, Thomas doesnt get to spend as much time in the lab. Sometimes wearing a white coat can feel odd. But he takes satisfaction in mentoring others and seeing the excitement when a great result comes in.

Thomas doesnt hesitate when asked what he enjoys most about his work.

I love collaborating with colleagues from diverse science backgrounds when developing new ideas. And thinking about the next frontier in research innovation and impact. That is really the coolest part of my job, he says.

Read the rest here:
Meet Thomas Vanhercke: innovating with passion - CSIRO

WASHINGTON D.C. --Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI) of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party wrote to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, inquiring why the U.S. Department of Agriculture greenlit a Chinese agricultural biotech company with close links to the Chinese government operating in the United States. The firm, Qi Biodesign, is a company that makes genetically engineered soybean seeds and was prioritized for USDA regulatory approval ahead of many American agricultural companies that currently face extensive delays.

Select Committee Members Neal Dunn (R-FL), Dusty Johnson (SD), Ashley Hinson (R-IA), Carlos Gimenez (R-FL), and Ben Cline (R-VA) joined the letter.

The lawmakers outline a host of concerns writing,Qi Biodesign and other PRC firms like it are directly supported by the PRC government with the explicit purpose to replicate and replace U.S. agriculture biotechnology. While the PRC is clear-eyed about its desire to never allow its agriculture industry to be reliant on foreign technology, it appears the USDA is approving PRC agriculture biotechnology without concern for U.S. supply chains or trade negotiations. USDAs clearance of Qi Biodesigns products undermines years of hard-nosed U.S. trade demands and could make U.S. farmers complicit in the PRCs desire to replace them.

In an era when the Chinese government forbids U.S. agricultural companies from operating in China, Chairman Moolenaar underscores how perplexing it is for USDA to extend these benefits to companies beholden to our chief adversary. Moreover, the decision to welcome a Chinese government-backed company that sells genetically engineered soybeans into the U.S. raises serious questions for American consumers that mistrust genetic engineering in China.

Government-backed actors from China also have a long history of stealing U.S. agricultural intellectual property, with some going as far as digging up seeds in U.S. farm fields to smuggle back to China. In light of the growing threat, Chairman Moolenaar requests the Secretary of Agriculture that immediately revisit the regulatory status review for Qi Biodesign and asks for a briefing to address the following questions:

Read the lawmakers' letter to the FDAHERE.

See the original post:
Moolenaar, Lawmakers Seek Answers After USDA Approves Chinese Genetically Engineered Soybeans - Select Committee on the CCP |

Over the past few years more and more companies have been hitting the food market with enticing offers of plant-based protein.

While this may be great news for vegans, plant-based proteins are incomplete because they are low in at least one essential amino acid. Animal-based proteins, meanwhile, contain all nine essential amino acids.

But what if we were to find a way to produce animal protein from plants?

Israel-based startup PoLoPo says it can produce protein from potatoes that is identical to protein derived from chicken eggs.

We use the plant molecular farming method, which is production of valuable metabolites and proteins [through the manipulation of the cell factory] in the plant, PoLoPo CEO and cofounder Maya Sapir-Mir tells ISRAEL21c.

We teach the plant to generate properties that originate in a completely different biological source, she adds.

Essentially, molecular farming entails insertion of genes useful for food production, through genetic engineering, into host plants that would otherwise not express those genes.

Regular potatoes already contain protein, but in very small quantities. Through molecular farming, PoLoPo specialists have created a new strain of potatoes.

The company claims this one-of-a-kind strain produces a lot more protein, and its molecular consistency is indistinguishable from egg protein, which is rich in ovalbumin a major protein component of egg white.

Our market product will be functional protein powder generated from our potato strain, explains Sapir-Mir.

PoLoPo was officially founded in 2022 by Sapir-Mir and her longtime research partner, Raya Liberman-Aloni.

The two plant scientists met 17 years ago during their doctoral studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, specializing in metabolic engineering of plants.

We were researching the behavior of proteins in plants from citrus fruits to tomatoes, and even tobacco, explains Sapir-Mir.

We were always the odd ones out in academia, she laughs.

In 2017, the two women came up with a business idea to create a plant that produces animal protein for the food industry.

It took us some time to settle on potatoes, but once we got there, all the other pieces started falling into place.

PoLoPo is still in the research and development (R&D) phase. It has raised over $2 million so far in its first and only funding round, which allowed the company to weather the storm of October 7 relatively unscathed.

We have just opened our second funding round that hopefully will jumpstart us from the R&D phase to commercial phase, says Sapir-Mir.

The company, which has six full-time employees and three part-time workers, hopes its product will hit the market by 2027.

Sapir-Mir admits, however, the company will not be able to operate commercially in Israel or Europe due to strict regulations applied on GMO (genetically modified organisms) products.

The plan is to first enter the market in the United States. Weve already applied for a USDA permit to grow our plants in the US, she explains.

She adds that in the future the restrictions on genetically modified food products in Israel and Europe will likely be eased because theres no food security without GMO.

The food industry utilizes egg protein, normally generated from egg whites, in very, very large quantities, explains Sapir-Mir.

Ovalbumin has a host of valuable and functional properties revered by the food industry.

If you were to take a random product off a supermarket shelf and look at the label, theres a good chance youd see egg protein among the ingredients, she says.

Sapir-Mir adds that egg protein is used commercially in sweets, meat products, baked goods and even plant-based milk.

Once our product becomes fully commercialized, scaleup will be very easy. And at full scale, we will have competitive pricing compared to other commercial egg proteins on the market, notes Sapir-Mir.

Our hope is that one day our product replaces egg protein entirely.

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More here:
PoLoPo: The startup making egg protein from potatoes - ISRAEL21c