Syngenta opens rights to genome-editing and breeding technology for academic research
05 Jun 2024 --- The Syngenta Group is on track to provide rights to selected genome-editing and breeding technologies for global academic research as part of its commitment to fostering innovation and driving sustainability in agriculture.
The rights are now accessible through its collaboration platform, Shoots by Syngenta.
Certain intellectual property rights relate to optimized CRISPR-Cas12a and gene-editing-enabled breeding tools.
Utilizing CRISPR
Through CRISPR gene-editing, it is possible to deliver an improved plant that does not include DNA from a different species more quickly and efficiently than otherwise possible in nature or through conventional breeding methods.
“CRISPR technology has incredible potential to enable crop innovation to deliver value to farmers,” says Gusui Wu, head of global seeds research at Syngenta.
“The increased use of CRISPR in agriculture can transform the way we approach plant breeding, accelerating the discovery and deployment of innovations that provide growers more productive and resilient crops. We are inviting universities and academic institutions from around the world to help us drive innovation to improve the sustainability of agriculture.”
Syngenta scientists have been continuously innovating to improve CRISPR-Cas genome editing technologies. They have engineered CRISPR Cas12a to increase its efficiency and utility, significantly optimizing it as a tool for crop improvement.
The company has long been open to sharing technology with public and private entities, enabling straightforward, quick and easy access to its proprietary technologies for academic and non-profit research use. One example is Syngenta’s vegetable licensing platform, which allows breeding companies and academic institutes to access and breed with Syngenta germplasm.
The rights are now accessible through Syngenta’s collaboration platform, Shoots by Syngenta.The Shoots by Syngenta global innovation collaboration platform was created in 2023 to create partnerships and find solutions to some of the most complex challenges in food and agriculture.
The platform will connect scientific discovery and creativity, bringing together academics, research institutes, start-ups and cross-industry sectors to collaborate with Syngenta’s global network of over 6,000 scientists.
“We truly believe that collaboration accelerates innovation,” says Stuart Harrison, head of global seeds R&D partnerships. “This initiative has tremendous potential to not only result in exciting technology innovations but also to drive critical crop solutions that will support farmers worldwide.”
Meanwhile, Adrian Percy, executive director of the North Carolina Plant Sciences Initiative, adds: “By accessing these innovative technologies from Syngenta, the North Carolina Plant Sciences Initiative and North Carolina State University can more broadly accelerate its capabilities in genome editing.”
He says Syngenta is “excited about the application of these technologies in our research programs as they will certainly enable improvement to a variety of crops to the benefit of the grower community.”
Edited by Elizabeth Green
