Collaboration will Facilitate Development of Innovative Products to Meet Growing Global Food Needs
DuPont and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) today announced the renewal for another five years of a research collaboration that began in 2007. This multi-million dollar collaboration supports cutting-edge plant biology research focused on meeting growing food demands worldwide.
With the world's population expected to grow by more than 2 billion by 2050, this collaboration will help make possible crucial improvements in plant breeding that will help increase yields from available acreage.
"Innovative science and technology are at the core of productivity improvements that will allow us to meet global food security goals of ensuring that people everywhere have access to sufficient and nutritious food that meets their dietary need and food preferences for a healthy life," said DuPont Agricultural Biotechnology Vice President John Bedbrook. "We must leverage all the science and technology tools available, including this important collaboration with CSHL. Our collaboration has contributed to and will continue to contribute to increasing our understanding of the basic genetic mechanisms controlling plant growth and development which will contribute to global food security in the coming decades."
"CSHL's successful partnership with DuPont Pioneer has fostered strong collaboration between a uniquely aligned group of research and industry scientists," said CSHL President Bruce Stillman. "These two groups are leveraging each other's strengths to achieve research results that we believe will lead to important improvements in crop yield around the world."
CSHL and Pioneer are investing in discovery research that tackles some of the most fundamental aspects of plant biology. The renewal of the collaboration agreement will continue the expansion of knowledge about the genetic basis of fundamental plant processes controlling growth, development and yield. This collaboration will help facilitate the development of innovative products to meet future global food needs.
"As scientists, we get excited about seeing our discoveries translated into real-world applications," said Rob Martienssen, a CSHL professor and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator. "It is clear that basic research in these areas has the potential to radically change the face of the agricultural industry."
Founded in 1890, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) has shaped contemporary biomedical research and education with programs in cancer, neuroscience, plant biology and quantitative biology. CSHL is ranked number one in the world by Thomson Reuters for impact of its research in molecular biology and genetics. The Laboratory has been home to eight Nobel Prize winners. Today, CSHL's multidisciplinary scientific community is more than 360 scientists strong and its Meetings & Courses program hosts more than 12,500 scientists from around the world each year to its Long Island campus and its China center. Tens of thousands more benefit from the research, reviews and ideas published in journals and books distributed internationally by CSHL Press. The Laboratory's education arm also includes a graduate school and programs for undergraduates as well as middle and high school students and teachers. CSHL is a private, not-for-profit institution on the north shore of Long Island. For more information, visit www.cshl.edu.
DuPont Pioneer is the world's leading developer and supplier of advanced plant genetics, providing high-quality seeds to farmers in more than 90 countries. Pioneer provides agronomic support and services to help increase farmer productivity and profitability and strives to develop sustainable agricultural systems for people everywhere. Science with Service Delivering Success.
DuPont (NYSE: DD) has been bringing world-class science and engineering to the global marketplace in the form of innovative products, materials, and services since 1802. The company believes that by collaborating with customers, governments, NGOs, and thought leaders, we can help find solutions to such global challenges as providing enough healthy food for people everywhere, decreasing dependence on fossil fuels, and protecting life and the environment. For additional information about DuPont and its commitment to inclusive innovation, please visit www.dupont.com.
11.07.2012