Genetic frontiers for conservation

IUCN Report: Genetic frontiers for conservation – An assessment of synthetic biology and biodiversity conservation

May 9, 2019 | Todd Kuiken

Todd Kuiken, May 9, 2019 | Synthetic biology – altering or redesigning genes to meet human objectives – is a fast-developing field with significant potential impacts on nature conservation, according to the Genetic frontiers for conservation assessment report. So far mostly applied in agriculture and medicine, synthetic biology could have substantial knock-on effects on conservation – including modified genes spreading to non-target species and affecting broader ecosystems, but also benefits such as saving threatened species, reduced fertiliser use or diminished demand for products derived from threatened species....

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Governing evolution – A socioecological comparison of resistance management for Bt crops

March 25, 2019 | Zachary Brown

Zachary Brown, March 21, 2019 | Cooperative management of pest susceptibility to transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) crops is pursued worldwide in a variety of forms and to varying degrees of success depending on context. We examine this context using a comparative socioecological analysis of resistance management in Australia, Brazil, India, and the United States. We find that a shared understanding of resistance risks among government regulators, growers, and other actors is critical for effective governance. ...

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Procedurally Robust Risk Assessment Framework for Novel Genetically Engineered Organisms and Gene Drives Jennifer Kuzma First published: 08 March 2019 https://doi.org/10.1111/rego.12245

Procedurally Robust Risk Assessment Framework for Novel Genetically Engineered Organisms and Gene Drives

March 12, 2019 | Jennifer Kuzma

Jennifer Kuzma, March 8, 2019 | This article reviews the current state of gene-editing regulation for crops, illuminating the ways in which technology developers are repeating practices that may lead to the public and ethical failures of the first generation genetically engineered crops, and argues that the contentious socio-political history of genetic engineering will repeat itself for gene editing if these continue....

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Sustainability as a Framework for Considering Gene Drive Mice for Invasive Rodent Eradication

March 6, 2019 | Patti Mulligan

March 4, 2019 | Sustainability as a Framework for Considering Gene Drive Mice for Invasive Rodent Eradication, by S. Kathleen Barnhill-Dilling, Megan Serr, Dimitri V. Blondel and John Godwin. Abstract: Gene drives represent a dynamic and controversial set of technologies with applications that range from mosquito control to the conservation of biological diversity on islands. Currently, gene drives are being developed in mice that may one day serve as an important tool for reducing invasive rodent pests, a key threat to island biodiversity and economies. ...

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Report: Stakeholder Perspectives on Gene Drive Mice for Biodiversity Protection on Islands

February 20, 2019 | Jason Delborne

Jason Delborne, February 20, 2019 | This article reviews the current state of gene-editing regulation for crops, illuminating the ways in which technology developers are repeating practices that may lead to the public and ethical failures of the first generation genetically engineered crops, and argues that the contentious socio-political history of genetic engineering will repeat itself for gene editing if these continue....

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Can genetic engineering save disappearing forests?

January 18, 2019 | Jason Delborne

Jason Delborne, January 18, 2019 | Forests in the US face many threats: climate change, invasive species, pests and pathogens. Could genetically engineering trees make these plants more resilient?" ...

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NASEM Sackler SciComm: The promise and perils of gene drives

January 15, 2019 | Patti Mulligan

In November of 2017, an interdisciplinary panel discussed the complexities of gene drive applications as part of the third Sackler Colloquium on “The Science of Science Communication.” This paper builds on the ideas and conversations from the session to provide a more nuanced discussion about the context surrounding responsible communication and decision-making for cases of post-normal science. Deciding to use gene drives to control and suppress pests will involve more than a technical assessment of the risks involved, and responsible decision-making regarding their use will require concerted efforts from multiple actors....

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Issues: Regulating Gene-Edited Crops

December 10, 2018 | Jennifer Kuzma

This article reviews the current state of gene-editing regulation for crops, illuminating the ways in which technology developers are repeating practices that may lead to the public and ethical failures of the first generation genetically engineered crops, and argues that the contentious socio-political history of genetic engineering will repeat itself for gene editing if these continue....

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Editing nature: Local roots of global governance

November 1, 2018 | Patti Mulligan

Dr. Jennifer Kuzma, Goodnight-NC GSK Foundation Distinguished Professor and Co-director of the Genetic Engineering and Society Center, was one of the lead authors on an interdisciplinary team calling for global oversight of environmental gene editing in this Science Policy Forum, Editing Nature: Local roots of global governance....

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The Problems Driving Resistance to Bt Crops—and Some Proposed Solutions

October 26, 2018 | Patti Mulligan

By: DOMINIC REISIG, Entomology Today | Bt crops—those genetically engineered to produce an insecticidal toxin from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis—are special due to their benefits: reducing foliar insecticide applications, which increase populations of beneficial insects and minimize environmental harm; reducing pest populations throughout the landscape; and preserving yield, to name a few. Therefore, preventing resistance to Bt crops is important and is usually formalized in a set of Insecticide Resistance Management (IRM) practices. Because bollworm is now resistant to two Bt toxin families in cotton, IRM practices may have to change to slow resistance to other Bt toxins....

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Report: Biotechnology, the American Chestnut, and Public Engagement

October 25, 2018 | Patti Mulligan

In April 2018, a team of NC State faculty and students convened a stakeholder workshop to explore opportunities for public engagement surrounding the development, regulatory review, and potential deployment of a genetically engineered American chestnut tree. As perhaps the first GMO designed to spread and persist in the wild, the tree has the potential to restore a functionally extinct species, but also raises important ethical, political, ecological, and cultural questions. This report describes the workshop and its purpose, details the substance of the discussions, and offers the research team’s perspective on lessons learned and ways forward....

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Publication: How social science should complement scientific discovery: lessons from nanoscience

July 12, 2018 | Patti Mulligan

Dr. David Berube, Professor of Science and Technology Communication, and GES Center affiliate, has published the following article in the Journal of Nanoparticle Research.  How social science should complement scientific discovery: lessons from nanoscience CITE AS: Berube,...

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Genome Editing in Agriculture – CAST Issue Paper

July 9, 2018 | Patti Mulligan

PRESS RELEASE: July 9, 2018. Twentieth-century advances in plant and animal breeding did much to help meet the increasing food, fiber, feed, and fuel needs of an expanding world. But continued population growth, resource shortages, climate change, and pest prevalence make sustainability a daunting yet essential task. Genome editing is a powerful new method that enables unprecedented control over genetic material and offers the opportunity to make rapid advances that influence agricultural practices....

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Pesticide Resistance Arms Race

June 29, 2018 | Fred Gould

In this episode we talk with Fred Gould, William Neal Reynolds Professor of Agriculture and Life Sciences, about the rising rates of herbicide and pesticide resistance, the current state of the resistance arms race and what we need to do in the future to protect our crops and human health from resistant pests. Length: 15 minutes...

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Weeds Are Winning in the War against Herbicide Resistance, Scientific American, By Brooke Borel, June 18, 2018

Kuzma in Scientific American article: Weeds Are Winning in the War against Herbicide Resistance

June 18, 2018 | Patti Mulligan

Herbicides are under evolutionary threat. Can modern agriculture find a new way to fight back? Excerpt: For farmers, protecting fields from pests and plagues is a constant battle fought on multiple fronts. Many insects have...

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