From searcabic at gmail.com Tue Sep 2 17:47:44 2008 From: searcabic at gmail.com (SEARCA Biotechnology Information Center) Date: Tue, 2 Sep 2008 17:47:44 +0800 Subject: [searcabic] Latest news postings on biotechnology, 02 September 2008 Message-ID: Right click images to view this page properly. If this e-mail does not appear as a web page, please click here. *Posted 02 September 2008* *PHILIPPINES* 1-PHILRICE DEVELOPS 3-IN-1 RICE 2-THE DREAM TEAM 3-ANOTHER PUBLIC SECTOR BIOTECH PRODUCT IN THE OFFING 4-GMO-FREE RICE RESTOS CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED *INDIA* 5-BIOSAFETY DATA OF TRANSGENIC BRINJAL MADE PUBLIC *PAKISTAN* 6-GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOOD ANSWER TO FOOD CRISIS *GLOBAL* 7-DUPONT USES LASERS IN SEED DEVELOPMENT *1-PHILRICE DEVELOPS 3-IN-1 RICE* by Sosimo Ma. Pablico 31-August-2008 The Philippine STAR Tremendous benefits are anticipated in a three-in-one rice variety that is now being developed by the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) even as its commercial production is expected to start four years from now. Breeding work started in 2004 soon after PhilRice received genetically modified Golden Rice events donated by the Gates Foundation. Field tests on the grains that have been developed will begin before the end of 2008. Golden Rice is the result of genetic engineering that involved the deliberate introduction of two genes from other organisms. The process completed the biochemical pathway that allows beta-carotene production in rice grains, giving them the distinct yellow color. The three-in-one rice will be the first of its kind, as it will contain three important traits never before found at the same time in a rice variety, said PhilRice scientist Dr. Antonio A. Alfonso who leads the breeding team. Through conventional breeding techniques, genes for beta-carotene biosynthesis from Golden Rice as well as rice tungro disease and bacterial leaf blight resistance are being transferred into the grains of local varieties. The rice plant produces beta-carotene in its leaves and stems, but none in its grains. Thus, a rice-based diet contributes to high prevalence of vitamin A deficiency or VAD among the poor, who cannot afford to include vegetables, meat, and other foods rich in vitamin A in their meals on a daily basis. Vitamin A, an antioxidant, promotes good vision, enables proper reproduction and lactation among women, and helps in the formation and maintenance of healthy teeth, skeletal and soft tissue, mucuous membrane, and skin. "Insufficient vitamin A and beta-carotene intake for long periods of time results in morbidity and mortality, particularly among children and pregnant and lactating women ? the most affected population groups," said a research team from the Sikap/Strive Foundation and PhilRice, who conducted an "Ex-Ante Impact Evaluation of Three-in-One Rice." VAD may eventually lead to night blindness, Bitot's spot, corneal ulceration, and corneal scars. If left untreated, corneal ulceration and corneal scars may lead to permanent blindness. It also weakens the immune system, resulting in infections like HIV-AIDS, diarrhea, and measles. "All these VAD-related diseases, in turn, translate into increased health care costs and economic losses accruing years foregone and loss of potential productivity. But more than the economic costs, the VAD problem deprives those [affected] individuals ? of the basic right to an adequately healthy and active life," reported the research team led by Dr. Leonardo Gonzales. In the Philippines, 71 percent of total households do not meet their recommended vitamin A (retinol equivalent) nutrients, a recent survey showed. It is not also surprising that four out of 10 children, six months to five years old, suffer from VAD since two of every 10 pregnant and lactating Filipino mothers suffer from VAD. It is expected that losses from tungro, which reached P10.6 million in 1993, and bacterial leaf blight will be greatly minimized. It was estimated that 8.1 percent of the total area planted to rice can be possibly affected by bacterial leaf blight, and the resulting yield loss could mean about $57.5 million worth of foregone production. Resistance to rice tungro disease and bacterial leaf blight are being incorporated into the three-in-one rice because these devastating diseases recurrently plague the country. Both farmers and consumers are expected to benefit from three-in-one rice. The profitability of farmers is expected to increase through reduced costs and higher yields, consumers will be provided with higher levels of micronutrients, thereby boosting their health. The team estimated that the costs of research and development (R&D) and commercialization, P149 million in 2005 prices, would be outweighed by a net present value (NPV) of P309 million under very low adoption rate. Under high adoption rate, it will generate an NPV of P1.22 billion with 63 percent IRR. In addition, it could generate health impacts similar to the projected impact of Golden Rice in the Philippines, which is worth an estimated $16-88 million. *------------------------------------------------------------* *2-THE DREAM TEAM* by Rachel C. Barawid 28-August-2008 Manila Bulletin Scrutinizing DNA and looking under the microscope give these young, dynamic team the highest of highs? At first glance, they seem like a bunch of ordinary young people ? giddy, playful and carefree. But these young professionals at the DNA Analysis Laboratory (DAL) of the University of the Philippines' Natural Sciences Research Institute are not at all dealing with the simplest of things. In fact, their job is one of the most complex and difficult in the world. Forensic science is far from the glamorous field that TV shows like CSI, Criminal Minds, Bones, Cold Case and Forensic Files have painted it to be. In real life, analyzing DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) on a daily basis can't be anyone's idea of fun because it can really be nerve-racking, even mind-boggling. The uninformed may even lose his mind ? literally ? with the millions of DNA that he has to repeatedly deal with day in and day out. Yet this dynamic group of young individuals cannot imagine themselves doing anything or being anywhere else other than in their little laboratory. The impact their works have made on the lives of people means the world to them. *MISTAKES NOT ALLOWED* The human body has 3.1647 billion pairs of DNA containing approximately 30,000 gene codes. DNA molecules carry genes that determine how a person looks and behaves. Half of the genetic profile of a person comes from his mother and half from his father. DNA analysis has various applications. It can be used for doing research on new discoveries and validating existing ones. In forensic science, it can be an investigative tool in solving crimes, sexual assault cases, and post-conviction evidence. In civil cases, it is useful to answer questions on paternity and maternity. It is also important for genetics in studying the culture of a certain ethnic group, and for human identification. "DNA analysis is a powerful tool even for specie identification. Even the National Meat Inspection enlists our help in validating the meat sold in restaurants and meat shops. We can even extract DNA from old, compromised and degraded samples through the other type of DNA which is the mitochondrial DNA," says 36-year-old Gayvelline Calacal, a senior DNA analyst. Their lab is composed of three sections. The first is where they extract DNA, the second where they replicate DNA, and the third is where they analyze DNA profile copied through the computer. The environment is so sterile that a person who is in the third section cannot return or go inside the second section to avoid contaminating the overly sensitive DNA. Lab gowns worn in the second section cannot even be used in the third. "DNA analysis is a tedious process that requires patience and meticulousness. We validate one another's work by repeating the same procedure, using the same standards, over and over again. After that, the final validation will be done by our chief, Dr. Maria Corazon de Ungria,'' Calacal describes the initial processes. "Constant validation is done to ensure that our work is fool-proof and 100 percent correct because we cannot afford to make a mistake." *TEDIOUS BUT REWARDING* As a child, DNA analyst Sheila Ann Edith Franco wanted to become a surgeon so she could wear those dainty doctor's gown. But she found herself wearing a lab gown instead. A biochemistry graduate, 23-year old Franco left the UP DAL for a multinational company but realized she could not be in an environment where there is no room for growth. "Yung pay ko dito overtime pay ko pa lang dun sa multinational company. Pero bumalik ako because of the team. Lahat ng chance para lumipat ng kumpanya andiyan eh. Pero gusto ko yung ginagawa ko, dito ko nakita ang sarili ko," discloses Franco who is a postgraduate student taking up Biology in UP. Calacal, on the other hand, studied DNA analysis under foreign experts who visited the lab and met her "true love'' here ever since. "I love my job. It's challenging and fulfilling. Sa ibang lab, you only work on a project, but here, you see that science has an application, may nangyayaring difference sa buhay ng ibang tao," she says. For Kristina Tabbada, a 29-year-old DNA analyst and molecular biology graduate, her work at the lab gives her a feeling of satisfaction and relief. "Particularly with the more difficult cases when you're not sure if there's still DNA in that sample. At the end of the process, it is satisfying to see that the work has paid off. It is also inspiring to know that what you're doing helps use science to address problems that we face in society," she says. A 39-year-old teacher, Minerva Sagum left her profession for personal reasons but found fulfillment in the lab where she takes care of administrative matters. She deals with all types of clients particularly inmates at the Bilibid prison in gathering data for their crime investigations. "In my trips to Bilibid, dun ko narealize that science is not just inside the laboratory. It is going to people, talking to them. Nakakahawa ang passion ng mga tao dito," she explains. DNA analysts Jazelyn Salvador, 29, and Sheene Marie Maiquilla, 23, also say they discover their strengths and weaknesses in the lab. Aside from having an incisive mind, ability to pay attention to small details, creativity and perseverance, Salvador stresses that only the passionate and the patient truly survive this profession. "Be prepared to accept the fact that no matter how good you are, there's always room to grow. If there's a mistake, you can choose to say that this failure makes me a failure or this failure is just one failure. A failure is an event, it's not a person. Here, there's a lot of checks and balances so even if you make a mistake, there's always someone to correct you," advises 23-year-old Leo Francis Almazora, lab administrative staff. *ONE TEAM* Under the stewardship of Dr. Cora De Ungria, who has been at the forefront of forensic DNA technology in the Philippines, this team is on a mission to create reforms in the evidence management system of the country and in other socially-responsible projects that generate a positive impact in the lives of Filipinos. Dr. De Ungria says her team members work on the strengths of one another, finding ways to overcome their weaknesses. "I guess that explains why they leave and come back. They realize how much they can do if they maintain it as a team. There's this anecdote of one stick that is easily broken but if you have a bundle of sticks, it is harder to break. This is where the strength of the lab is. It is not so much in one person or the head. The strength is in the members of the team that work together as one bundle," De Ungria proudly says. They all but share one dream ? to expand the laboratory so that they can work with and train more people to do more projects and serve more. "There's a lot of demands that we cannot meet now because of the financial constraints. I cannot hire or train more people but I know there are a lot of young people out there who are like these young personnel who only need to find direction and then they can start giving. Ang problema in many situations is that we have young people with ideals but these ideals are not directed properly to a cause or to something very important and therefore you lose that stage in life when you're making a personal search for one's path in life," says De Ungria. *------------------------------------------------------------* *3-ANOTHER PUBLIC SECTOR BIOTECH PRODUCT IN THE OFFING* by Angelina Garces, S&T Media Service 26-August-2008 PCARRD After the public sector biotechnology initiatives on the papaya ringspot virus-resistant variety, the government is now focusing on improving corn. In this regard, PCARRD approved recently a three-year project in the amount of P8.6 million. Titled "Molecular map-based isolation and characterization of resistance genes for downy mildew (DM) in corn," the project aims to develop corn varieties resistant to DM using marker-assisted selection (MAS). DM, caused by Peronosclerospora philippinensis Weston (Shaw), is still one of the major corn diseases in the country despite earlier breakthroughs in chemical control. High incidence of DM has been observed in Northern Luzon and many parts of Mindanao, particularly when seeds are not treated with fungicides. In severe infections, yield loss due to the disease was reported to be as high as 80-100%. For the past decades, the Institute of Plant Breeding of the University of the Philippines Los Ba?os (IPB-UPLB) has been incorporating downy mildew resistance in its corn breeding program using conventional approaches. Several resistant varieties have been released but through time, they succumbed to the disease. Unlike conventional selection wherein plants are allowed to grow to maturity to determine their desirable traits, MAS uses genetic markers to do the same thing much faster. Deoxyribonucleic acid or DNA markers have been linked and identified with the DM-resistance gene. The use of these markers to select the desired plants that carry the DM resistance genes has also been well established in corn and other major crops like rice and wheat. Incidentally, the project will use markers in selecting corn lines that carry the resistance gene. Such procedure will make the development of DM-resistant corn variety a lot faster. The DM-resistant corn varieties will then be tested in several locations of the country targeting the major corn-growing areas. In the absence of DM-resistant variety, corn farmers are forced to treat seeds with fungicide, which is a potential contaminant of ground water and suspected to cause cancer. Availability of DM-resistant corn variety will, therefore, benefit the farmers in terms of higher yield and income, and better health. A leading public sector institution, UPLB's College of Agriculture, its Crops Science Cluster, and IPB will implement the project, under the leadership of Dr. Hayde F. Galvez. *------------------------------------------------------------* *4-GMO-FREE RICE RESTOS CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED* 28-August-2008 Malaya ENVIRONMENTAL watchdog Greenpeace yesterday launched its campaign for restaurants to serve only rice that are free from genetically-modified organisms (GMOs). The campaign, dubbed "I love my rice GMO-free," was launched at the Fish and Co. restaurant in Ortigas Center and seeks to gather the commitment of restaurants around the country to serve only GMO-free rice. Fish and Co. is part of the Bistro Group of Companies which includes Italiani's, TGI Friday's and Flapjacks. Aside from pledging to serve only GMO-free rice, the Bistro Group has committed to display 'I love my rice GMO-free' posters in all their 27 outlets and distribute campaign brochures as part of the awareness drive. During the press conference, the food company served representative rice dishes from each of their five restaurant branches. Daniel Ocampo, Greenpeace Southeast Asia Genetic Engineering campaigner, said Greenpeace is talking with 10 leading fast food joints, alternative restaurants, and organic restaurants in Metro Manila and Southern Luzon to join their campaign and this will be announced in the next few weeks. Ocampo also said the green group is negotiating with two of the country's top fast food chains to join the GMO-free rice campaign. He said rice is part of the Philippines' heritage, because it is the center of diversity of rice due to the presence of many varieties in the country. He said the GMO-free rice restaurant campaign "recognizes the role of food companies." "We have the right to choose what and where we eat," he added. Lisa Ronquillo, Bistro Group marketing director, said the food chain approached Greenpeace a month ago because it wanted to join the "green campaign" but didn't know how to go about it. "This is our first initiative to go green?but it's a long-term commitment that will involve not only rice," Ronquillo said. GMOs are plants or animals whose DNA have been manipulated to accommodate genes from entirely different species, such as a rice crop inserted with genes from a bacteria or an animal. Governments recognize the dangers of GMOs, that's why these crops are highly regulated. Greenpeace said GMO food crops pose risks to health and no long-term health studies have ever been conducted. Greenpeace said no GMO rice has been approved for human consumption or propagation in the Philippines, but GMO rice from the United States have slipped into the country at least twice, despite measures by the National Food Authority to ensure that US rice imports is GMO-free. At present, an application for the approval of a GMO rice variety is lodged at the Department of Agriculture. Ocampo said so far there is no commercially available GMO rice in the Philippines because Greenpeace has filed an injunction against the application of Bayer. He said the rice from Vietnam and Thailand that the Philippines is importing is GMO-free because of the commitment from both countries not to trade GMO rice. But he said the P25/kilo rice imported from the US which is being sold by the National Food Authority (NFA) showed some contamination because it was sourced from Arkansas and other Southern states. Lea Guerrero, Greenpeace media campaigner, said Greenpeace had two kilos of the cheap rice tested in Japan and it showed contamination. He said while the rice passed US standards, these fail when pitted against stricter European standards which were used in Japan. She said the NFA has refused to do joint testing because of the expenses. *Related articles:* *Top RP restaurants join 'I love my rice GMO-free' campaign* * Miss, Extra (GMO-Free) Rice, Please RP food company makes business sacrifices to 'go green' * *------------------------------------------------------------* *5-BIOSAFETY DATA OF TRANSGENIC BRINJAL MADE PUBLIC * by Meena Menon 25-August-2008 The Hindu MUMBAI: The Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) has published information on biosafety studies of Bt brinjal, developed by MAHYCO, on its official website. The data in eight volumes, runs into more than 1,100 pages. Sources in the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) confirmed that it was the complete data sent by the company which was analysed by the department and forwarded to the GEAC. Greenpeace, which has been demanding that the data be made public and is involved in a long Right to Information (RTI) battle, says the data looks comprehensive, but there is neither an official notification nor an assurance of its completeness from the authorities. However, MAHYCO had sought a stay on the data being made public after an order of the Central Information Commissioner (CIC) last November. The Delhi High Court did grant the stay in December 2007 after MAHYCO, the Indian partner of the multinational agri biotech giant Monsanto, said the company could suffer commercial losses if the confidential data was disclosed to the public. In the last hearing of the case in Delhi on August 20 there was no mention of the data being available on the website. Since the issue was sub judice and the DBT was one of the respondents it could not make the data public. DBT sources said there was nothing secret about the data and the only reason it did not share it with Greenpeace was because of the company's objections as a third party that their business interests would be affected. Now GEAC in its own wisdom has decided to post the data on the Internet. Greenpeace said it has been close to 30 months since the first application for the biosafety data and minutes of the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) committee meetings were submitted under the RTI Act 2005 by Divya Raghunandan. Since then the data was consistently denied by the DBT till the CIC directed the department to disclose the data to the appellant finally in November 2007. Though it had come very late, this was a welcome step by GEAC, said Divya Raghunandan of Greenpeace who had filed the RTI way back in February 2006. Recently, Dr. P.M. Bhargava, special invitee of the Supreme Court in the GEAC, raised concerns on the veracity of the Bt cotton as well as the Bt brinjal data as the procedures followed were flawed. *------------------------------------------------------------* *6-GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOOD ANSWER TO FOOD CRISIS* 29-August-2008 Daily Times ISLAMABAD: Genetically modified crops can help solve international food crisis faced by many countries including Pakistan, said US Special Advisor on Science and Technology Dr Nina V Fedoroff on Thursday. Talking to reporters at a local hotel, Fedoroff said the international community had ignored important issues like energy and food in the past and was now paying for that negligence. She said the world should try to find both short and long-term solutions to end food problems. Dr Fedoroff, who was in the capital as part of Pak-US Science and Technology Cooperation Program, spoke high of Pakistan's potential in science and technology and hoped that mutual cooperation would help Pakistan a great deal. "There are great prospects for future cooperation between Pakistan and the US in science and technology. I will submit to quarters concerned glowing reports about my observation in Pakistan," she said. The US official said Pakistan should realise its agriculture potential and try to increase its growth, as it still had a lot of room to improve per acre yield. She said by improving urea fertilizer production, Pakistan could save its input and reduce per acre net cost. She said she and her Pakistani colleagues discussed cooperation in the field of genetically modified (GM) food but it required sophisticated research and new kind of relationship, as there were concerns about the GM food. Dr Fedoroff said both countries were cooperating with each other in telemedicine, education of lady health workers, pathology, DNA testing and brining scientists through networking. sajjad malik *------------------------------------------------------------* *7-DUPONT USES LASERS IN SEED DEVELOPMENT* by Andrew Eder 27-August-2008 Delaware Online News Journal The DuPont Co. on Tuesday revealed its latest weapon in the battle to produce the best corn and soybean seeds: lasers. Advertisement The company's Pioneer Hi-Bred business unit said its new "laser-assisted seed selection" technology would expand and speed its seed research, helping to get higher-yielding varieties of corn and soybeans to market faster. DuPont said the new technology uses a 120-watt carbon dioxide laser to cut a small slice from a seed for genetic analysis while still preserving the seed for planting. DuPont spokesman Patrick Arthur said the laser technique is a vast improvement over the current method of cultivating plants in the field and analyzing plant tissue in the lab. "We're able to get a clear picture of the genetics well before the seed is planted," Arthur said. Arthur said DuPont has applied for more than 10 patents on the laser system, which he said would eventually eliminate 90 percent of Pioneer's plant-tissue analysis. He wouldn't specify how widely the technology would be deployed, but he said a majority of Pioneer's 90 research centers worldwide are looking at plant genetics, which researchers can manipulate to give crops characteristics like higher yield or resistance to weedkillers. Arthur said the laser technology would allow for 24-hour-a-day analysis, increase the number of plant generations that can be grown and tested in a year and free up 75 percent to 90 percent of Pioneer's field space for plants with superior genes. DuPont's announcement, released during a farm trade show in Iowa, underscores the fierce competition among major seed producers to ramp up research and development, get high-yielding seeds to farmers and capture a greater share of the booming agriculture market. Pioneer, the second-largest seed producer, has set a goal of boosting corn and soybean yields 40 percent within 10 years. Monsanto Co., of St. Louis, the largest seed company, wants to double yields by 2030. Monsanto already uses a similar technology to DuPont's laser method, known as a "seed chipper," which uses blades to cut off bits of seeds for genetic analysis. Monsanto has credited the technology with helping develop its Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybeans, set for release next year. DuPont, without referring to its rival, called chipping methods "rudimentary" and said the laser technology was superior because it eliminates contamination between seeds and cycles seeds through the system faster. "It's difficult to compare the two methods because it's like comparing a Model T car to a Learjet," William Niebur, DuPont's vice president of crop genetics research and development, said in a statement. "They can both get you to where you are going; one just does it more quickly and efficiently." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *DISCLAIMER*: Articles that are posted in this news service do not necessarily reflect the views of SEARCA. To post in e-group, e-mail bic at searcaweb.org. To UNSUBSCRIBE, click here . *How can we improve farmers' access to credit?* *Vietnam to host annual board meeting of regional agriculture center* *They are Small, but Terrible: Yellow Stem Borer* *Is Group Lending Effective?* *Solving Poverty through Knowledge Management?* *Local Government Planning: How much is air or water pollution?* *---------------------------------------------------------* *Download available paper and/or presentation handouts of some notable speakers presented at SEARCA Agriculture and Development Series. CLICK HERE. * *First International Symposium on Biotechnology of Fruit Species* *Dresden, Germany 01 - 05 September 2008* *SEARCA Special Seminar:Agroforestry, Rural Livelihoods, and the Future of Global Land Use* *(A UPLB CFNR-ICRAF-SEARCA sponsored seminar) Drilon Hall, SEARCA, College, Laguna Philippines 05 September 2008 , 3:00 - 5:00 PM* *3rd EuroBioForum Conference* *Strasbourg, France 17 - 19 September 2008* *--------------------------------------------------------- JOB OPPORTUNITIES: SEARCA: Special Project Coordinator Closing Date: 07 Sept 2008 iBoP ASIA: Project Assistant Closing Date: 05 Sept 2008 PCARRD: Chief SRS, Senior SRS, and SRS II * *--------------------------------------------------------- Download presentation on "Biotech Crops? What's Next?" by Dr. Randy Hautea, ISAAA Global Coordinator and SEAsia Center Director, in PDF version* [image: visit discussion board] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://searcaweb.org/pipermail/bic_searcaweb.org/attachments/20080902/6af268ef/attachment-0001.html From searcabic at gmail.com Mon Sep 15 11:42:16 2008 From: searcabic at gmail.com (SEARCA Biotechnology Information Center) Date: Mon, 15 Sep 2008 11:42:16 +0800 Subject: [searcabic] Latest news postings on biotechnology, 15 September 2008 Message-ID: Right click images to view this page properly. If this e-mail does not appear as a web page, please click here. *Posted 15 September 2008* *PHILIPPINES* 1-PROF SUGGESTS STEP TO SAVE COTTON INDUSTRY 2-DOST TO HONOR 10 TOP SCIENTISTS AT MANILA HOTEL RITES 3-FILIPINOS SHINE IN ASIAN SCIENCE CAMP 4-RP NEEDS 21,000 SCIENTISTS *CHINA* 5-CHINA'S PUSH TO BECOME GLOBAL BIOTECHNOLOGY LEADER *INDIA* 6-Bt BRINJAL TO GO COMMERCIAL NEXT YEAR *SOUTH AFRICA* 7-SAFRICA OKAYS SORGHUM TRIALS TO IMPROVE NUTRITION IN AFRICA: OFFICIAL *EUROPE* 8-EUROPEAN UNION APPROVES BAYER GENETICALLY MODIFIED SOYBEAN *GLOBAL* 9-GM CROPS 'THE ONLY WAY TO FEED WORLD' SAYS AGRI EXPERT *1-PROF SUGGESTS STEP TO SAVE COTTON INDUSTRY* by Marianne V. Go 14-September-2008 The Philippine STAR The importation of the genetically-modified Bt cotton technology for local use would help save the dying Philippine cotton industry, UPLB professor Agnes Rola said. She stressed imported Bt cotton technology is resistant to major pests like cotton bollworm and pink bollworm which is plaguing the domestic cotton industry. Improving Philippine cotton production, Rola said, could save the country up to $75 million per year. UPLB recently undertook a study to determine whether the imported technology could benefit the Philippine cotton industry. Local research and development on Bt cotton is expected to cost P6 million, the study said. Results showed that planting Bt cotton in the Philippines would significantly increase the yield and profit of farmers. The effectiveness and efficiency of the imported technology has been proven and used in countries like China, Argentina, India, Mexico, South Africa and the US. Commercialization of Bt cotton, the study showed, would not be costly if the regulatory compliance is not prohibitive and if the total area to be planted is not less than 5,000 hectares. Return on investment is expected to be anywhere from 43 percent to 68 percent, a benefit cost ratio of 3.36 to 4.74, a net present value of P512 million to P574 million for a 20-year period. The payback period is five years. For farmers, the decrease in production cost is expected to be P12,000 per hectare due to reduced use of pesticides and a 20 percent increase in yield. Decreased pesticide use would also have a positive impact on the environment. The study pointed out that to attain potential benefits, Bt cotton must be planted above the required 5,000 hectares. *------------------------------------------------------------* *2-DOST TO HONOR 10 TOP SCIENTISTS AT MANILA HOTEL RITES* by Madel R. Sabater 10-September-2008 Manila Bulletin Ten top scholars of the Department of Science and Technology (DoST) over the last 50 years will be awarded today (September 10) at the historic landmark Manila Hotel as part of DoST's year-long celebration of its golden anniversary. The award, dubbed "50 Men and Women of Science," seeks to recognize DoST achievers in various S & T fields who have made significant contributions here and even abroad. These include 10 top DoST college and postgraduate scholars over the last half century. The awarding ceremonies will be led by Science and Technology Secretary Estrella Alabastro and DoST Undersecretary for S & T Services Fortunato dela Pe?a, chairman of the DoST golden jubilee steering committee. The 10 top DoST scholars who will be awarded today are the following: 1. Dr. Jose Bacusmo, president of the Visayas State University and the only university president who was included in the list of the 50 Men and Women of Science. Bacusmo is responsible for the approval of new science and technology (S & T) projects at VSU amounting to P47.6 million. 2. Dr. Carmen Centeno, an associate professor at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Faculty of Engineering who carved a niche in the area of hazardous wastes management. 3. Dr. Elmer Dadios, a scholar of the Philippine Council for Advanced Science and Technology Research and Development (PCASTRD ? DoST) from 1990 to 1992 whose researches range from Robotics, Mechatronics, Automation, Artificial Intelligence, Neural Networks, Fuzzy Logic, Genetic Algorithms, Evolutionary Computation and information technology (IT). 4. Dr. Jonathan Dungca, an associate professor at the De La Salle University (DLSU) ? Manila, and who specializes in geotechnical engineering, structural engineering and earthquake engineering. 5. Dr. Filipinas Natividad, who is responsible for the establishment of the first Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory in the Philippine and introduced to the country the pioneering application of stem cell transplant for ocular surface disorders, particularly at St. Luke's Medical Center. Natividad also implemented the first curriculum for Molecular Biology and Biotechnology in UP Diliman, and developed the first Master of Science (MS) in Molecular Medicine program in the country which will be offered this coming October at the St. Luke's College of Medicine. 6. Dr. Jurgenne Primavera, scientist emerita at the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center in Tigbauan, Iloilo. Primavera is recognized for her exemplary work in aquaculture, fisheries and mangrove ecology, warning of the negative environmental and socioeconomic impacts of unplanned aquaculture, including shrimp farming. She was conferred a PhD in Science honoris causa by Stockholm University in 2004. 7. Dr. Henry Ramos, who established the Plasma Physics Laboratory at the National Institute of Physics (NIP) in UP - Diliman. Dr. Ramos developed a state-of-the-art process technology using plasma enhanced chemical vapor device for comparatively inexpensive hard coating of cutting tools, which is now patented in Taiwan and the US. 8. Dr. Delfin Jay Sabido IX, a former Advanced Science and Technology Institute (ASTI- DoST) director who initiated programs on open source software, RF integrated circuits, wireless technologies, network management and communication protocol development. He also actively pursued the establishment of the Philippine Research, Education and Government Information Network (PREGINET) and the creation of Bayanihan Linux. 9. Dr. Edward Wang, current associate dean for Faculty and Students in UP - Manila College of Medicine who has done outstanding work in musculoskeletal tumor research. 10. Dr. Fortunato Sevilla III, UST professor and assistant to the Rector for Research and Development. Sevilla specializes in instrumentation and analytical science, paving the way for the development of lowcost chemical instruments like the colorimeter, polarimeter, pH meter, conductimeter, hemoglobinometer, blood photometer, and the iodine meter. Aside from DoST scholars, the agency will also be conferring awards on the "Men and Women of Science" in the field of S & T administration, technology adoption, science education, and science communication. The DoST had earlier given the award to the 10 Men and Women of Science in research and development, also at the Manila Hotel. *------------------------------------------------------------* --------------------- *3-FILIPINOS SHINE IN ASIAN SCIENCE CAMP* by Madel R. Sabater 09-September-2008 Manila Bulletin Three Filipino college students were among the five members of a team that bagged the first prize in an art competition during the Asian Science Camp in Bali, Indonesia recently. Fourth year Bachelor of Science (BS) in Chemistry student Joey Mangadlao of the University of the Philippines (UP)-Diliman, UP-Los Ba?os (UPLB) Physics student Raymund Lorenzo Abejuela IV, and Elvis Chua, a BS Chemistry student at the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), bagged first prize in the poster-making contest during the Asian Science Camp. The other members of the team are BS Chemistry student Yang Kwang-Wei of the National Taiwan University and Rudolf Bonay of Indonesia. The team bested 50 other groups in the poster-making competition, bagging certificates and three million rupiah (R13,328.18). The winning poster, entitled, "DNAzymes: Gene Carriers of the Past, Catalysts of the Future," was inspired by the talk of Rizal Fajar Hariadi of the California Institute of Technology on Molecular Machines Made of and Fueled by DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). Mangadlao said the competition made him more eager to pursue a Science career, especially after hearing various Nobel Laureates speak about their accomplishments. Mangadlao won the 3rd Grand Award for Microbiology at the 2005 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Arizona, United States back in high school for his project, "Biologically Potent Broad Spectrum Antibiotics Obtained from Tetrodoxin-Rich Organs of Puffer Fishes." Department of Science and Techology (DoST) Science Education Institute (SEI) Director Dr. Ester Ogena said the success of the Filipino students in the competition showcased the Filipino's talent not just in Math and Science but also in the arts. "Our students' international exposures enable them to see the real world with their very eyes and we are confident that once they step into it, they too, shall shine," she said. *------------------------------------------------------------* *4-RP NEEDS 21,000 SCIENTISTS* by Rhaydz B. Barcia 29-August-2008 The Manila Times The Philippines lacks 21,000 scientists, a situation which badly impacts on the country's economy, an official of the Department of Science and Technology told The Manila Times. "We don't have enough scientists in the country and this affects the [country's] capacity to generate wealth, new innovations that could create sustainable development. This affects our economy particularly on private and foreign investment because the investors are monitoring our competitiveness," said Dr. Ester Ogena, director of the Science department's education institute. According to officials from the Science department, the country is lagging behind by 10 years compared to Thailand when it comes to science and technology competitiveness. Ogena said the government is looking for human resources to expand the country's scientific pool and nurture science and technology professionals. She said that based on the world competitiveness index of 137 countries, the Philippines ranked poorly at no. 71. "We're on the middle ground and was not improving. This calls for progressive adherence for criteria for development competitiveness," she said. To address gap of 21,000 scientists, the department is in need of 2,000 scholars annually that will specialize on various science and technology courses. Ogena said the government has allocated close to P1 billion to support the scholarship program. Currently there are 3,019 Science department scholars across the country. From l969 to 2008, the Science department was able to produce 12,077 scientists. Along this program, the department announced the availability of graduate scholarship grants for master and doctorate degrees under the department's accelerated science and technology human resource development program, and engineering research and development for technology for school year 2008 to 2009. The priority courses include the following: basic sciences; biotechnology; material science and engineering; medical and pharmaceutical sciences; information and communication technology; microelectronics; earth and space science or meteorology; agriculture; forestry and natural resources; fisheries and marine science; and environment. Science department officials said they are scouting for poor but intelligent students across the country to avail of the scholarship programs. Students, including those taking their master or doctorate degrees, can also avail of the scholarship grants by filing their application on or before Sept?ember 30. The examination day is on November 9. *------------------------------------------------------------* *CHINA 5-CHINA'S PUSH TO BECOME GLOBAL BIOTECHNOLOGY LEADER *08-September-2008 Commodity Online BEIJING: When several countries in the world are scared of looming food crisis, China is taking some key initiatives to ensure food security and ensure people from hunger and poverty, China plans to use the power of biotechnology to address key food security issues, says Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao. He said recently said China would spend an additional $2.9 billion in state support for the development of agricultural biotechnology over the next 15 years. According to a report from the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) the move signals China's intent to use biotechnology as a key means to address food security. Last week, the Monsanto Co. said it has received regulatory approval to import Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybeans to China, the largest purchaser of U.S. soybeans. The regulatory approval was seen as welcome news by U.S. soybean producers. "Last year China purchased more than $4 billion worth of soybeans from the United States, and as the standard of living continues to rise for the Chinese, so will the demand for our soybeans," said Johnny Dodson, a soybean producer from Halls, Tennessee, and first vice-president of the American Soybean Association. "Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybeans are one of the key technologies that are going to help U.S. farmers meet the world's growing demand for food, feed and fuel made from U.S. soybeans." Monsanto said the soybeans will be introduced on 1 million to 2 million acres for the 2009 season as part of a controlled commercial release, followed by a large-scale product launch of 5 million to 6 million acres scheduled for 2010. A change to permit the planting of biotech food crops (rice, corn and soybeans) could significantly alter Chinese production and rural economy in the coming years, the FAS said. However, concerns still remain about transparency in China's biotechnology regulatory and approval system and its ability to evolve with this rapidly changing technology. China is currently the sixth largest producer of biotechnology enhanced plants based on total acreage (3.8 million hectares in 2007). China also is the largest export market for U.S. crops produced with the aid of biotechnology. The Chinese State Council recently approved a special science and technology fund with up to 20 billion yuan ($ 2.9 billion) for research of new varieties of biotech crops from 2006-20. Over the years, the Chinese government has been implementing a couple of programs that prioritize the development of biotechnology. The programs cover a wide spectrum in basic research, high-tech development as well as industrialization, which include Basic Research Program, Hi-Tech Research and Development Program, Key S&T Problem Solving Program, Key Science Infrastructure Program, Key Industrial Pilot Program, as well as the establishment of Key Laboratories and Engineering Centers, etc. Science and education hold the key to a prosperous future. The funding from government for R&D has been increasing continuously during the past over 20 years. We have adopted preferential policies in venture capital and taxation for the research institutes and high-tech companies. Many R&D centers and bases on biotechnology have been set up and more and more scientists with Ph.D. degree are returning home after receiving training in western countries. There are more than 400 universities, research institutes and companies and a total of over 20,000 scientists and researchers involved in biotechnology. *------------------------------------------------------------* *INDIA 6-Bt BRINJAL TO GO COMMERCIAL NEXT YEAR *by Dilip Kumar Jha 11-September-2008 Business Standard After an overwhelming success of Bacillus thurengiensis (Bt) cotton, Bt brinjal is all set to go commercial from the next sowing season, with the completion of its trial runs. After the launch, Bt brinjal will become the first edible product in the country to be grown using genetically modified (GM) seeds. According to R K Sinha, executive director, All India Crop Biotechnology Association, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research has been sowing GM seeds of Bt brinjal for the last four to five years and has found no harm in commercialising it with adequate approval from the authorities concerned. This year, ICAR covered between 15 and 18 acres under Bt brinjal across the country to test the viability of commercialisation before the final approval. "Brinjal is a staple food for many poor people, which also has medicinal properties. Hence, commercialisation would not only benefit farmers, who can save their investment in pesticides, but may also boost their income by way of a higher production," Sinha said. On December 10, 2007, the Supreme Court had refused to stay Mahyco's (Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company) trials of Bt brinjal in various parts of the country following a plea from social activists Aruna Rodrigues and P V Satheesh. A committee, under the union ministry of environment and forests, had given a clearances for the large-scale field trials in August 2007. According to a study by Mahyco, the technology supplier for Bt brinjal and a strong advocate of genetically-modified agricultural crops, farmers invest about Rs 100 per pesticide spray per acre for anywhere between 40-45 sprays of the 90-day brinjal crop. Secondly, harvesting is not allowed after four to five days of spraying to avoid any residual pesticides, which may be consumed directly under the existing norms. But farmers continue to harvest within two days of spraying. Hence, the intake of pesticides through fruits and vegetables is high, the study pointed out. By sowing Bt brinjal, hardly one or two sprays are required against the insect attack. But the number of sprays may increase depending upon the intensity of pest infestation, said Mahendra Kumar Sharma, general manager, Mahyco, who is also closely monitoring the developments of Bt brinjal. Launched about six years ago, Bt cotton has covered almost 70 per cent of the area under cotton in India. This is likely to rise further to 80 per cent this year. A change in farming techniques has revolutionalised the living standards of cotton farmers by enriching them monetarily. *------------------------------------------------------------* *SOUTH AFRICA 7-SAFRICA OKAYS SORGHUM TRIALS TO IMPROVE NUTRITION IN AFRICA: OFFICIAL *11-September-2008 Agence France Presse via Yahoo JOHANNESBURG (AFP) - The South African government Thursday approved trials on genetically-modified sorghum in a bid to improve nutrition in Africa, an official statement said. The official nod to undertake the greenhouse trials on sorghum was given to South Africa's Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), one of the key scientific agencies in an international research project to enhance the nutritional values of sorghum, the CSIR text said. Sorghum is an African crop and staple food of millions of people in sub-Saharan Africa. While it is one of the few crops that grow well in arid parts, it is lacking in most essential nutrients and it has poor protein digestibility, the statement said. Scientific evidence shows that deficiencies in essential micronutrients -- such as iron, zinc, Vitamin A and others -- can cause impaired immune systems, blindness, low birth weight, impaired neuropsychological development and growth stunting, it said. Malnutrition is a major cause of the rise in the many non-communicable diseases, especially in Africa. The Africa Biofortified Sorghum (ABS) project -- which involves seven African and two US organisations -- seeks to develop a more nutritious and easily digestible sorghum that contains increased levels of essential amino acids, especially lysine, increased levels of Vitamins A and E, and more available iron and zinc. The CSIR Biosciences executive director, Gatsha Mazithulela, said the project approval "is in the best interest of scientific inquiry and provides a basis for making a difference to the neediest people of our continent." *------------------------------------------------------------* *EUROPE 8-EUROPEAN UNION APPROVES BAYER GENETICALLY MODIFIED SOYBEAN *08-September-2008 Dow Jones via CNN Money.com BRUSSELS -(Dow Jones)- The European Commission Monday approved imports of a genetically modified variety of soybean developed by Bayer AG (BAY.XE), a move that may help prevent European animal feed shortages in the coming years. Without the approval, E.U. farmers would be effectively blocked from importing soybeans from the U.S., where millions of acres of the new crop, known under the code A2704-12, are expected to be planted next year. Importers would be unlikely to ship soybeans - a crucial source of protein in animal feed - from the U.S. for fear that their cargoes would be contaminated with the biotech soybean. The approval, which lasts for 10 years, comes after the European Council couldn't agree whether to approve or reject the soybean for import, sending the final decision back to the commission under the E.U.'s complicated procedure for approving genetically modified crops. The commission usually accepts the decision of the European Food Safety Authority, which last year said Bayer's soybean was safe to import. The E.U. is also considering whether to allow imports of another soybean that will be grown next year in the U.S., the Roundup Ready 2 soybean, developed by Monsanto (MON). The soybean must be approved for import before the end of the harvest in 2009, or importers might not be able to ship any soybeans from the U.S. due to fears that their shipments may be contaminated by a prohibited crop. Over 20 new genetically modified soybeans are under development by the biotech industry, and farmers fear the E.U.'s biotech approval process, much slower than in the U.S., will eventually prevent them from importing soybeans into Europe from the U.S., once a biotech soybean is grown in the U.S. that hasn't received European import approval. The situation has led the E.U. to consider allowing trace amounts of unapproved genetically modified plants in agricultural imports to maintain trade in soybeans and other crucial products. The E.U. imports about three quarters of its total soybean supply, mainly from the U.S., Argentina and Brazil. By Matthew Dalton, Dow Jones Newswires; +32 2 741 1487; matthew.dalton@ dowjones.com *------------------------------------------------------------* *GLOBAL 9-GM CROPS 'THE ONLY WAY TO FEED WORLD' SAYS AGRI EXPERT *08-September-2008 The Australian FOOD producers will have little choice but to use genetically modified crops to feed the growing population, according to US agribusiness specialist John Baize. "People need to look ahead and see what we are facing here," he told The Australian in an exclusive interview. "We saw the food prices this year that went through the roof across the world. "It is only going to get more intense if you look at the population growth in the future." He says that feeding an estimated billion extra people, mostly in the poorest countries, by the year 2040 will come down to a few choices, based on official US government forecasts. "Either we say we are going to eat less, which is not realistic, or we cut down rainforest on critical lands to expand production, or we boost productivity. "To me that is a very simple question. You go to where you can use the best technology to increase productivity -- and that is biotechnology." The problem, he says, is that there is little room left to expand agriculture. Baize says the only options are clearing forests in countries like Brazil and Borneo. He says farming needs warm weather and water. "That is going to put you in the tropics and that will mean deforestation." The alternative is to increase yields, he says. "In corn or maize in the US, we are getting rapid increases in yield, but they are coming from biotech corn varieties which are stacked with different traits so they are resistant to the corn borer, the corn root worm, and they also are glyphosate-tolerant." Baize is based in Virginia in the US, where most of the corn, cotton and soybeans now grown are genetically modified. He says the GM plants require minimal pesticide and less ploughing, which means less fuel is used. He says farmers have seen yields increase by 10 to 15 per cent, and have been quick to adopt GM crops. "Over 90 per cent of soybeans in the US are biotech, effectively 100 per cent of Argentina is biotech, probably 65 per cent of Brazil is, and it will go up to 90 per cent as fast as they can get there." Baize says crops genetically modified to tolerate drought would greatly increase productivity in dry parts of Australia. While GM crops have been accepted in most of the Americas, it is a different story in Europe and Australia. In Australia, GM cotton is grown in NSW and Queensland. It has resulted in a reduction in herbicide and insecticide use of between 56 and 75 per cent. Both NSW and Victoria recently allowed the cultivation of GM canola. But GM crops are banned in South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania. Baize, in Australia to address clients of Optimal Funds Management, notes there is "a scepticism over there (in Europe) about science and government. There are many similarities between biotechnology and nuclear power. "Both of them, the lay person doesn't understand them. It is easy to sow doubts and fears in people." Baize argues that worrying about GM crops "is a luxury of certain people in wealthy countries. The people in poor countries are concerned about the volume of food they get: they want to be able to afford food." He says the sooner that Australia has a debate on GM, "to look at the facts rather than the emotion and the innuendo, the quicker Australia will move forward". ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *DISCLAIMER*: Articles that are posted in this news service do not necessarily reflect the views of SEARCA. To post in e-group, e-mail bic at searcaweb.org. To UNSUBSCRIBE, click here . *How can science reach the farmers?: The Importance of Good Science Communication* *Will a second green revolution end hunger?* *How can we improve farmers' access to credit?* *Vietnam to host annual board meeting of regional agriculture center* *They are Small, but Terrible: Yellow Stem Borer* *Is Group Lending Effective?* *---------------------------------------------------------* *Download available paper and/or presentation handouts of some notable speakers presented at SEARCA Agriculture and Development Series. CLICK HERE. * *SEARCA ADSS: Environmental and Economic Sustainability Implications of the Major Trends in Material Flows in the Philippines, 1981 to 2004* *by Dr. Corazon L. Rapera Drilon Hall, SEARCA, College, Laguna Philippines 16 September 2008 , 3:00 - 5:00 PM* *3rd EuroBioForum Conference* *Strasbourg, France 17 - 19 September 2008* *--------------------------------------------------------- Join SEARCA Photo Contest 2008!* [image: visit discussion board] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://searcaweb.org/pipermail/bic_searcaweb.org/attachments/20080915/614f76ee/attachment-0001.html From searcabic at gmail.com Tue Sep 16 09:15:45 2008 From: searcabic at gmail.com (SEARCA Biotechnology Information Center) Date: Tue, 16 Sep 2008 09:15:45 +0800 Subject: [searcabic] NEWS FEATURE: How can science reach the farmers?: The importance of good science communication Message-ID: Right click any image to view this page properly. If this e-mail does not appear as a web page, please click here. *Posted 16 September 2008* *HOW CAN SCIENCE REACH THE FARMERS?: The Importance of Good Science Communication* * **by Ranell Martin M. Dedicatoria, SEARCA KRU-KMD 4-September-2008 SEARCA News Release* "Some people oppose the idea that modern biotechnology be applied to help the poor farmers and consumers solve their food and agriculture problems. Many low-income Chinese farmers who produce more cotton with less pesticides because they have access to genetically modified Bt seed are lucky that the opposition did not get to the seed before they did."1 Access to communication is part of the basics of improving the quality of life, particularly for poor farmers. Philippine National Scientist, Gelia Castillo, puts it: "Science loses its credibility to the public when science communication fails." "Science communication2 is not about selling science products but about contributing to the development of a science culture where the public can understand research results, examine the evidence, and make informed decisions." We often hear much information about technologies or products of science. But often, as in the case of farmers, there is really no understanding or appreciation of the product, particularly if the product has been published as controversial. Take for example the case of biotechnology. As an emerging field of science, biotechnology is designed to modify biological organisms to meet the needs of man in terms of agriculture, medicine, engineering, and other fields. However, it has also aroused many scientific and social debates regarding its possible detrimental effects to human health and the environment. Catalyzing these debates are the negative news and feature stories propagated by the media about the field. Media, as a powerful communication tool, has drastically affected people's perception about biotechnology. This has been the challenge faced by the SEARCA Biotechnology Information Center (BIC) since it started in year 2000. BIC aims "to address the needs of the region for a highly credible, sound and factual biotechnology information center in the Southeast Asian region accessible to various stakeholders." Through various information, education, and communication (IEC) strategies, BIC is educating the public on biotechnology. Its strategies range from putting up exhibits, producing leaflets and posters, to conducting radio interviews. BIC also hosts an e-group to promote sharing of science-based agricultural biotechnology information among members. Aside from these, BIC capitalizes on media monitoring especially with the media playing a crucial role in disseminating information on biotechnology. It keeps tabs on biotechnology-related articles to find out whether there are more positive articles written about the field. To help promote biotechnology, BIC organizes study visits and writeshops catered for the media. The BIC3 experience is one case of good science communication. _______ *Endnotes: 1 International Food Policy Research Institute Vision for 2020 2 Defining Excellence in Science Communication by Dr. Gelia Castillo<> 3 Biotechnology Information Center * --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *DISCLAIMER*: Articles that are posted in this news service do not necessarily reflect the views of SEARCA. To post in e-group, e-mail bic at searcaweb.org. To UNSUBSCRIBE, click here . -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://searcaweb.org/pipermail/bic_searcaweb.org/attachments/20080916/9dd6d3c5/attachment.html From searcabic at gmail.com Mon Sep 29 19:46:23 2008 From: searcabic at gmail.com (SEARCA Biotechnology Information Center) Date: Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:46:23 +0800 Subject: [searcabic] Latest news postings on biotechnology, 29 September 2008 Message-ID: Right click images to view this page properly. If this e-mail does not appear as a web page, please click here. *Posted 29 September 2008* *PHILIPPINES* 1-DOST TECHNOLOGIES READY FOR THE TAKING 2-WINNING BRAINS BACK TO THE PHILIPPINES 3-PCARRD EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, VSU PREXY SIGN P47.6M MOA 4-GOVERNMENT TO PRODUCE EXPORT-QUALITY COCO WINE *INDIA* 5-Bt COTTON ACREAGE RISES 20% *BRAZIL* 6-BRAZIL GOVERNMENT AGENCY APPROVES NEW GMO CORN SEEDS *GLOBAL* 7-BIOTECHNOLOGY NEEDED TO SOLVE FOOD SHORTAGE, SAYS CEO *1-DOST TECHNOLOGIES READY FOR THE TAKING* by Ma. Elena Talingdan-Tabangcura/DOST S&T Media Service 29-September-2008 BusinessMirror Technologies at your fingertips?this is how the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) offers knowledge and technologies developed through its One-Stop Information Shop of Technologies (Osist) portal, which is now made available to the public. There are about 280 technologies (services, products and processes) listed in the Osist portal with information on the technology developer or expert and the technology itself. Completely Filipino-owned, the technologies were developed in the Philippines by the DOST research and development (R&D) institutes, partner government agencies, academe and the private sector. These are in the areas of agriculture, energy, food, health/pharmaceutical/medical products, process, aquatic and marine, disaster management; equipment/devices, handicrafts and textile, among others. The Osist is the product of DOST's e-government-funded project which is anchored on President Arroyo's development agenda particularly in mobilizing knowledge and S&T for productivity, economic growth and job creation. The DOST has institutionalized several mechanisms that would facilitate the transfer of knowledge and technologies to its stakeholders. However, the DOST has also been beset with the long-time clamor of the public for listing of these technologies and bringing them out from the laboratory to the market. Now with just a click of the mouse, whenever and wherever, stakeholders and the public, in general, can "shop" conveniently and invest in the best technology or simply adopt which would be able to help them in their everyday lives. In a recent industry and energy symposium in the Ilocos region, Science Undersecretary Graciano Yumul Jr., also the officer in charge of the Philippine Council for Industry and Energy Research and Development (PCIERD), the lead agency of the Osist project, said that technology transfer and utilization are the main activities today and the DOST is focusing on these activities. R&D will never stop and it is technology transfer that gives fruition to all R&D activities. The Osist provides means for the retrieval and exchange of information and promotes technology-based businesses. In order to keep pace with popular business operations today, the Osist employs e-business or e-commerce mechanisms. It features an electronic payment transaction for downloading premium technology information with its e-bayad facility. Like most e-business transactions, one may use a PDA, cell phone, a network, wireless or dial-up connection to the Internet in accessing and downloading. Initially, transactions can be made via ATM or debit instruction (through Land Bank of the Philippines), SMS or mobile banking (through GCash) and credit cards (still under negotiation), where e-shopping of technologies can be completed. Moreover, the Osist adopts Government to Business (G2B) and Government to Citizen (G2C) approach by providing interactive communication with businesses and individuals. On a grander scale, the Osist allows government-to-government transactions. Most foreign agencies nowadays would only want to transact business with another agency that practices e-Governance. In accessing the web site (http://www.osist.dost.gov.ph), clients get information on the technology and the technology experts or developers. This promotes and establishes collaboration and linkages among S&T practitioners, enterprises and other agencies at an easier and faster rate. If a client walks through the Osist web site by clicking the link to "Available Technologies," he will be given a page that lists all the technologies by industry or sector. Once a technology is clicked, the client will be led to a page of information categorized as: 1) Overview of the Technology; 2) Abstract of the Technology; and 3) Premium Details of the Technology. The information in the first two categories are available free of charge but the premium details are with a fee. The Osist project is a collaborative effort of the DOST and the Commission on Information and Communications Technology. All the DOST agencies, which include advisory bodies, sectoral planning councils, R&D institutes and service institutes, together with academe and network institutions, served as content providers. *------------------------------------------------------------* *2-WINNING BRAINS BACK TO THE PHILIPPINES* by Federico M. Macaranas 26-September-2008 Philippine Daily Inquirer AFTER posting its highest growth rate in more than three decades in 2007, the Philippine economy is poised to slow down in 2008 on account of external factors whose domestic impact its managers cannot fully tame. This should be less of a problem for those who are more long-term oriented and less swayed by medium-term political goals. After all, given the past economic reforms in banking and finance (capital adequacy ratios of commercial banks and the expanded value-added tax) among others, it is these long-term factors that really matter for sustained growth. Yet short-term gains from the much-vaunted outsourcing bonanza that could result from the US slowdown, as corporations cut down costs, should be taken with much caution. Even the call for greater financial integration in the region espoused by the ADB should be tempered with a focus on the production of real goods and services ? lest the economy be trapped forever in its low-level growth. More fundamental than these financial factors is the need for the Philippines to align its economic growth with the path taken by dynamic Asia-Pacific countries and the developed world ? a path that is based on innovation and technology. But more productive raw materials or chemicals, machinery or equipment, processing or marketing ideas do not grow out of trees. They come from people, educated men and women ? be they peasants tutored in appropriate technologies rooted in indigenous practices or PhD's able to translate scholarly learning into commercial ventures. Short or even bereft of a science and technology culture, the Philippines must now seriously harness its human resources spread around the world to boost its productive capacity in real goods and services. Services in this case includes an appropriately risk-managed banking and finance system that should respond to the needs of smaller enterprises to generate more jobs relative to capital, and bring about an increase in employment numbers. This is the time to win back more brains to return. Successive Philippine administrations attempted to to do this after the big brain drain in the 1970s and later in the 1990s. But this time around, it is not only the government that must act; the private sector must do its share in permanently harnessing Filipino overseas talents ? not through permanent return but through permanent connections, not through remittances alone but transfer of technology and market information. These are the very areas that the private sector can concentrate its efforts on ? but there must be appropriate government policies, both national and local, to attract these overseas resources to come home to roost. Here is where a new public private partnership (PPP) must come in. The Philippines' Balik Scientist (returnee scientist) program should be redesigned to enable the private sector to be its immediate and direct beneficiary in the current priority areas namely: alternative energy, biotechnology, information and communication technology, pharmaceutical, and environment, and even areas outside these government-identified R&D interests. Many agriculturists and fisheries experts, industry specialists, etc. are needed by the country, as special scholarships set up for these fields attest. These areas include biofuels, coco-chemicals, business process outsourcing, herbal medicine, marine remediation and afforestation. The Philippine private sector should be enticed to identify talented Filipinos abroad so that they can partner with them to develop new process technologies or new products. For example, Filipino food scientists abroad can be tapped to help raise farm productivity. Rather than simply market the Balik Scientist Program through the typical academic routes, wouldn't it be better to try matching available private sector R&D funds with overseas Filipinos who are expert in their fields? This means a call for pro-active public-private partnerships, starting with the development of an inventory of Filipino human resources designed like a talent bank for specific industries. This proposed overseas Filipino talent bank should be a roster that is frequently updated by a public-private group. It can serve as a potential skilled supply base of R&D partners that can be tapped by young entrepreneurs, established firms, cooperatives, etc., in the Philippines. It can be a national roster that can be developed from professional organizations, alumni chapters, hometown associations, etc. based abroad. This talent bank should contain information on the special skills of these expatriate Filipinos, whose homing instincts could be fanned by attractive professional and commercial prospects in their home country ? similar to how Taiwan, Korea, India, China and other countries succeeded in attracting their own nationals to their science parks to incubate new products. Such a human resource talent bank will truly engage the Philippines in planning an innovation and technology-based strategy. After all, are we not in a networking age in the creative knowledge era? Knowing where its talents are at any time could truly be one of the wisest investments the Philippines can make as it reaches the fork of low vs. high growth possibilities ? most recently documented by the study of De La Salle University economist Dr. Michael Alba, in his book on the long-term decline of Philippine competitiveness published by the AIM Policy Center (December 2007). Creative products and services generated by human innovation are the comparative advantage of the Philippines even in a financially volatile global economy. Local production of farm goods and improved logistics services can be stimulated by higher food prices. For example, higher value products and processes are likely to come out of research laboratories ? as the coconut coir ventures being used to prevent soil erosion shows. But more networks abroad are needed by the Philippines to connect to the larger overseas markets, including those that are decoupling from globally frenzied industries as local initiatives are linked to each other through new financial schemes (for sourcing and using of funds) such as carbon credits, pooled financial resources, fair trade, etc . The Science and Technology Advisory Councils (STAC) that were once organized by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) for the purpose of linking overseas Filipino high-level talents to Philippine institutions, agencies, firms, universities, etc. through short-term consultancies among others, were funded by a UNDP scheme called TOKTEN (Transfer of Knowledge Through Expatriate Nationals) that is now managed by UN Volunteers. After about a decade of successfully stirring the interest of top-level scientists and engineers, the Philippine program, which was actually cited by the UNDP TOKTEN administrator as one of the most successful in the world, ceased to operate in 1998 ? but many of its chapters and erstwhile members are independently working for the same cause today. It is high time that the Philippines seriously embarks on setting up these talent banks through public-private partnerships. The successful Science and Technology Advisory Councils could serve as a model. *Dr. Federico Macaranas is the Executive Director of the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) Policy Center, argues that the Philippines needs to organize its overseas science and technology diaspora into talent pools for possible collaboration with Philippine industry. He currently sits as a Technical Advisory Council member of the bicameral Congressional Commission on Science, Technology and Engineering (COMSTE)* *------------------------------------------------------------* *3-PCARRD EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, VSU PREXY SIGN P47.6M MOA* by Freddy Jesus M. Baldo & Pia Paula P. Mateo, S&T Media Service 15-September-2008 PCARRD Memoranda of agreement (MOA) collectively worth P47.6 million (M) was recently signed between PCARRD and the Visayas State University (VSU). The MOA signing coincided with the 84th VSU anniversary convocation last August 11. Signatories to the MOA were PCARRD Executive Director Patricio S. Faylon and VSU President Jose L. Bacusmo, chairperson of the Regional Research and Development Coordinating Council of the Visayas Consortium for Agriculture and Resources Program (ViCARP). VSU is the lead institution of ViCARP, one of the 14 PCARRD-organized consortia in the country. Since 1978, the consortium has been very active in packaging research and development (R&D) programs and projects in the agriculture, forestry, and natural resources (AFNR) sectors. The two institutions inked their partnership in research endeavors with the signing of the three MOAs for the projects on: (1) Enhancing the demand for AFNR graduates through science and technology (S&T); (2) Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research-PCARRD-ViCARP collaborative projects on fruits and vegetables; and (3) Enhancing the functionality of the VSU P2 laboratory (transformation laboratory) that will provide additional equipment to support capability development. The MOAs signed encompass implementation of the following projects: Policy research on the state and future supply and demand for AFNR graduates in the Philippines; Institutional capability enhancement: Institutional innovations to increase enrollment by enhancing the employability of AFNR graduates of selected state universities and colleges in Eastern Visayas; Support to income-generating projects and DAT-BED; Development of sweetpotato varieties resistant to sweetpotato virus disease complex through agrobacterium-mediated transformation (Phase 2); Development of immuno-based assay for detection of abaca viruses; and Impact assessment of the R&D utilization component of the S&T Anchor Program for native chicken. (Freddy Jesus M. Baldos/VSU-Information and Communication Office) *PCARRD highlights VSU's role in P200-M HRDP* Dr. Faylon acknowledged VSU's partnership with the Council in implementing programs and projects for food security, poverty alleviation, and sustainable development in the country, he commended them especially especially for their involvement in the Department of Science and Technology-PCARRD P200-million program on "Enhancing the demand for AFNR graduates through S&T" during the university's 84th founding anniversary convocation last August 11 at Visca, Baybay City, Leyte. The 84-year-old institution has committed to participating in the program, which aims to boost enrolment in agriculture and related fields, and eventually, increase human resources in the AFNR sectors. According to Faylon, the involvement of state universities and colleges (SUCs) like VSU is critical in the success of the program. They will serve as the training ground of agriculture graduates and professionals who will provide the needs of other major demanders, which include the private industry. Thus, with the help of the SUCs, the program will enhance the knowledge of the agriculture graduates on entrepreneurship and management. Faylon thanked VSU for being the first among the SUCs to respond to the challenge to pilot-test institutional capacity enhancement through curricular innovation, short-term trainings, and business models designed for making students into agri-entrepreneurs. Aside from VSU's unwavering assistance to the human resource development program, Faylon also acknowledged its long support to PCARRD's Techno Gabay Program. In addition, the state university has been managing S&T-based farms and Farmers Information and Technology Service centers in Region 8, hand in hand with ViCARP. *------------------------------------------------------------* *4-GOVERNMENT TO PRODUCE EXPORT-QUALITY COCO WINE* 13-Sepember-2008 Philippines Department of Agriculture The Arroyo government, in tandem with a private company, is planning to develop and produce wine of export-quality from coconut sap or nectar, which it expects to be in the league of popular spirits like Russian vodka and the Japanese sake, in support of President Arroyo's vow to rev up the coconut industry. One of the farm-friendly commitments by President Arroyo was her pledge in her 2004 State of the Nation Address (SONA) to help revitalize the coconut industry by, among others, making sure that coconut farmers benefit from the multibillion-peso coconut levy fund. To date, P786 million had been allotted for the Coconut Industry Investment Fund Safety-Net Program or CSNP and another P86 million for the upgraded insurance program benefitting 1.02 million coconut farmers. Given the sustained, higher farm spending by the government in support of the President's SONA promises, the agriculture sector grew by a high 4.7% in the year's first semester as against 3.74% in the same period in 2007. The main engine of growth for Philippine agriculture during the January-June period was the crops subsector, with palay output soaring 5.84% to 7.12 million metric tons and corn yields rising 19.62% to 3.292 million MT. The coconut subsector also posted a turnaround in growing by 6.49% during the semester after contracting minus 4.48% during the same six-month period in 2007. In his report to Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, Administrator Oscar Garin of the Philippine Coconut Authority said the PCA has entered into a memorandum of agreement with Nilak Research and Development Services, represented by Marius Diaz, to develop this type of wine that will meet international standards and make this product uniquely Filipino. The alcoholic beverage, which will come from the sap or nectar of coconut inflorescence (flower clusters), is expected to elevate the status of the lowly tuba by upgrading it to a conventional wine category, Garin said. Garin reported to Yap that the PCA expects this new kind of coconut-based wine to be identified with the Philippines, just as sake is known to originate from Japan, and vodka from Russia. He said the technology to produce the wine, which will be developed by Nilak's Diaz, a local wine maker, will be transferred to coconut-based areas and preferably to viable farmer-owned cooperatives or equally viable enterprises taking into consideration the intellectual property rights generated by the project. Under the law, all intellectual property rights are deemed assigned, transferred and conveyed to the PCA, which will commission the project for P5.5 million. Garin said the coconut wine project would include a survey and examination of sap availability and yield, preferably of the dwarf coconut variety from the various coconut-producing regions in the country, which will be jointly identified by the PCA and Nilak. Both the PCA and Nilak will have to evaluate, he said, the fresh coconut sap with respect to its physical and chemical characteristics and contents and assess the appropriate methods of harvesting to ensure the safety of the product in accordance with international standards. PCA expects the project to produce approximately 1,200 liters a month of quality coconut sap or about 7,200 liters over a six-month period. The end product?coconut wine?which will be aged for four months, will be equivalent to 9,600 bottles of 750 ml content with 12%-13% of alcohol content per volume. ### *(DA-PRESS OFFICE)* *------------------------------------------------------------* *INDIA 5-Bt COTTON ACREAGE RISES 20% *23-September-2008 Business Standard Bollgard Bt cotton is India's first biotech crop technology approved for commercialisation in India in 2002. Indian farmers seem to have taken to Bacillus thurengiensis (Bt) cotton seeds in a big way. According to technology supplier Mahyco Monsanto Biotech (MMB), India, the farmers have brought 20 per cent more area under cotton cultivation in 2008. This is likely to shoot up cotton production in the country, which is already the second largest producer of cotton in the world. As per an estimate by the MMB, India, approximately 4 million farmers cultivated Bollgard II and Bollgard Bt cotton on 172 lakh acres equivalent to 76 per cent of India's total 225 lakh cotton acres in Kharif 2008. The acreage has steadily increased from 87 lakh acres in 2006 to 144 lakh acres in 2007. The farmers have a choice from over 150 Bollgard II and Bollgard Bt cotton hybrid seeds. Bollgard II acreage area increased to 45 lakh acres during the ongoing crop season as compared to 12.2 lakh acres during the last season. Similarly, Bollgard continued to be widely adopted on 127 lakh acres. Bollgard II has a superior double-gene technology that offers farmers better Insect Resistance Management (IRM), along with higher yield, more pesticide savings, and thereby higher income. "Within six years of the launch of Bollgard Bt Cotton in 2002, India's cotton production has doubled, making it the second largest producer, and second largest exporter of cotton in the world," said Raj Ketkar, Deputy Managing Director, MMB. The highest growth for Bollgard II was witnessed in Maharashtra with 21.6 lakh acres (up 70 per cent as against 6.3 lakh acres in 2007), Andhra Pradesh with 8.4 lakh acres (up 88 per cent as compared to 1.01 lakh acres in 2007), and Gujarat with 5.3 lakh acres (up 42 per cent versus 3.1 lakh acres in 2007). Dr B B Bhosle, professor and head, Department of Entomology, Maharashtra Agriculture University, Parbhani, Maharashtra said, "Bollgard II - double gene cotton technology has two Bt proteins, Cry1Ac and Cry2Ab2 which are better for insect resistance management (IRM). With both the Bt proteins having different modes of action, the chance of resistance to both proteins in Bollgard II is highly unlikely, and this makes Bollgard II an effective tool in insect resistance management. The US EPA has removed the need for 20 per cent refuge for Bollgard II and if we do in India, we can increase our cotton productivity even more." Bollgard Bt cotton (single-gene technology) is India's first biotech crop technology approved for commercialisation in India in 2002, followed by Bollgard II - double gene technology in mid-2006, by the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) - the regulatory body for biotech crops. These technologies were launched in India by MMB, a 50:50 joint venture between Mahyco and Monsanto Company, USA. MMB has sub-licensed the Bollgard and Bollgard II technologies to 23 Indian seed companies, all of which have introduced the Bollgard technology into their own germplasm. *------------------------------------------------------------* *BRAZIL 6-BRAZIL GOVERNMENT AGENCY APPROVES NEW GMO CORN SEEDS *by Tony Danby 24-September-2008 Dow Jones via Agbios Brazil's National Biosafety Commission has given the green light to two new varieties of genetically modified corn seeds, which should further pave the way for the uptake of such products in the 2008-09 crop season, according to analysts and industry specialists. CTNBio approved Monsanto Co.'s Roundup Ready 2 and Syngenta AG's GA21, both of which are resistant to glyphosate, a non-selective herbicide which is widely used in corn growing areas, an agency press officer said on Friday. These two new varieties of genetically modified corn join three other types of GM corn seeds that were approved in 2007 by CTNBio from Syngenta, Monsanto and Bayer CropScience Ltd. Paulo Molinari, a grains analyst at consulting firm Safras & Mercado, said that genetically modified corn seeds are only just starting to enter the Brazilian market due to the long development and approval process. Molinari said that farmers are likely to plant only 4% or 5% of their land with genetically modified corn in the first harvest, but should plant between 40% and 50% with GMO corn in the second harvest. Brazil has two corn harvests each year. The first corn is planted between September and December, while the second corn crop is planted between December and January. Brazil should plant corn in over 6 million hectares in 2008-09, said Molinari. The analyst said corn farmers are keen to use transgenic seeds, which are resistant to pests and insects, but the process will start slowly because the seeds still aren't widely available. By Brazil's second corn harvest, however, transgenic corn seeds should be more widely available and more farmers will buy them, said Molinari. Medard Schoenmaeckers, head of media relations for Syngenta in Europe, sees Brazil's regulatory process as increasingly favorable towards genetically modified crops. "Approval by CTNBio of our GA21 and BT11 transgenic products, shows that Brazil takes a responsible, scientific approach to making decisions," said Schoenmaeckers. He also said Syngenta is likely to expand its mix of transgenic corn and soy products in Brazil, but gave no details. Schoenmaeckers said Brazil is still behind other countries such as the U.S., where the use of genetically modified corn has been faster and where Syngenta expects its entire range of seeds to shift to GMO by 2012. Still, the use of genetically modified seeds remains controversial in Brazil and Syngenta has faced invasions of its test center in Parana state by Rural Landless Workers Movement, or MST. Parana is the No.1 corn producing state. The landless rights group has been campaigning against the use of genetically modified seeds and has vowed to keep on fighting companies such as Syngenta that develop them. Other groups such as non-governmental group, Greenpeace, is also campaigning against the use of genetically modified seeds in Brazil. "We are against the use of genetically modified crops in Brazilian fields because of the negative impact on the environment and the potential risk to humans and animals," said Gabriella Vuolto, a Greenpeace specialist on transgenic crops. Vuolto said that CTNBio hasn't undertaken adequate scientific research into the impact of transgenic crops and that many of the potential impacts are still unknown. Seeds from genetically modified crops in one field can get carried and start to grow in neighboring fields, meaning that the farmer's crop are contaminated, she said. CTNBio also approved one version of transgenic cotton last week and approved transgenic soybeans two years ago. Depending on the state, a little more than half of the soy crop is transgenic. Corn is Brazil's No. 2 crop in acreage behind soybeans, which is Brazil's leading farm commodity. *------------------------------------------------------------* *GLOBAL 7-BIOTECHNOLOGY NEEDED TO SOLVE FOOD SHORTAGE, SAYS CEO *by Bruce Johnstone 25-September-2008 Leader-Post Regina - More genetically modified crops must be developed if agricultural producers are to meet the challenge of global food shortages and climate change, a Biotech Week event was told Thursday. "Technology prevented mass starvation in the 20th Century,'' said David Dennis, CEO of Performance Plants Inc., which operates plant biotechnology facilities in Kingston, Ont., Saskatoon and New York. "Technology will solve the problems of the 21st Century, I believe,'' added Dennis, a former Queen's University plant scientist, who founded PPI in 1995. Dennis said the global agriculture industry is facing a number of challenges, namely water shortages, climate change and yield volatility that threaten to cause large-scale crop failures and mass starvation. Agriculture biotechnology -- genetically modifying plants to improve their productivity, size and resistance to drought and disease -- could provide the solution to these challenges, he added. For example, PPI has used gene-modification technology to improve crop yields in corn, canola and soybeans by 15 to 25 per cent by improving their drought resistance. GM technology has also been used to help protect crops from heat stress and use water more efficiently, as well as increase biomass and carbohydrate content for biofuels crops. Contrary to popular misconception, GM-modified crops have "no negative impacts'' on the quality, safety or quantity of the food they produce, Dennis added. "The technology works under a lot of conditions. There appears to be no negative impact of the technology at all." Daren Coppock, CEO of the National Association of Wheat Growers in the U.S., said widespread production of GM-modified wheat could help offset the steadily declining acreage of cropland sown to wheat in the U.S. "Seven of the last 10 years, we've consumed more wheat locally (in the U.S.) than we've produced. You just can't keep doing that without having a market response.'' Corn and soybeans are moving west and north into traditional wheat-growing areas in the U.S., pushing wheat acres to 30-year lows, Coppock said. "Even under the most optimistic scenario, (one expert) does not see wheat acres exceeding 50 million when it used to be almost 80 (million)." The need to improve crop yields is another "compelling case for biotechnology," Coppock added. While wheat yields have remained "flat" at around 40 bushels per acre, corn yields have been expanding four times faster -- thanks to biotechnology, he said. "The longer we wait to deal with this problem, the bigger the hole we've dug for ourselves. That's why there's a sense of urgency by our producers to get this (biotechnology) ball rolling as soon as we can.'' But even if GM-modified wheat varieties were approved tomorrow, it would take 10 years to get them into production, he added. "Our board has set a goal of a 20-per-cent yield increase in 10 years, with the fundamental assumption that biotech commercialization is part of that answer. We won't get there without it.'' ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *DISCLAIMER*: Articles that are posted in this news service do not necessarily reflect the views of SEARCA. To post in e-group, e-mail bic at searcaweb.org. To UNSUBSCRIBE, click here . *OFW lady turns biotech corn farmer* *Pinoy is new president of Asian economists' body* *Nobel Peace Prize 2007 goes to IPCC with 6 Filipino Scientist Members* *SEARCA zeroes in on climatic risk management for agricultural production* *How can science reach the farmers?: The Importance of Good Science Communication* *How can science reach the farmers?: The Importance of Good Science Communication* *---------------------------------------------------------* *---------------------------------------------------------* *Download available paper and/or presentation handouts of some notable speakers presented at SEARCA Agriculture and Development Series. CLICK HERE. * *SEARCA ADSS: Development of High Yielding and Bunchy-top Virus Resistant Abaca (Musa textiles Nee) Cultivars* *by Dr. Antonio G. Lalusin Drilon Hall, SEARCA, College, Laguna Philippines 30 September 2008, 4:00 - 5:00 PM* *IRRI Thursday Seminar Series: GreenPhylDB: a comparative genomics platform to drive functional genomics in plants* *by Dr. Matthieu Conte Havener Auditorium, IRRI, Los Ba?os, Laguna, Philippines 02 October 2008, 1:15 - 2:15 PM* *BIO Korea 2008* *Osong Bio Technopolis, Korea 08 - 10 October 2008* [image: visit discussion board] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From searcabic at gmail.com Tue Sep 30 09:06:43 2008 From: searcabic at gmail.com (SEARCA Biotechnology Information Center) Date: Tue, 30 Sep 2008 09:06:43 +0800 Subject: [searcabic] ANNOUNCEMENT: Public Seminars at SEARCA and IRRI Message-ID: Right click any image to view this page properly. If this e-mail does not appear as a web page, please click here. *SEARCA Agriculture & Development Seminar Series (ADSS) * *Development of High Yielding and Bunchy-top Virus Resistant Abaca (Musa textiles Nee) Cultivars* Speaker: *Dr. Antonio G. Lalusin* University Research Associate,Institute of Plant Breeding,UPLB Tuesday, *30 September 2008*, 4:00 - 5:00 PM Drilon Hall, SEARCA, College, Laguna, Philippines *The SEARCA ADSS is open to the public and held every Tuesday, 4:00-5:00 p.m. at SEARCA. It is meant to encourage the presentation and discussion of development and research issues, as well as their implications for agricultural and rural development. Through the ADSS, SEARCA proactively contributes to having a vibrant scientific exchange within, and even beyond the Los Ba?os Science Community.* To view previous SEARCA ADSS presentations, please visit SEARCA website at http://www.searca.org . --------------------------------------------------------------------------- *IRRI Thursday Seminar Series * *GreenPhylDB: a comparative genomics platform to drive functional genomics in plants* Speaker: *Dr. Matthieu Conte* Postdoctoral Fellow, CRIL Thursday, *02 October 2008*, 1:15 - 2:15 PM Havener Auditorium, IRRI, Los Ba?os, Laguna, Philippines *The IRRI Thursday Seminar Series is free and open to the public. Havener Auditorium is located in Chandler Hall, near IRRI's cafeteria.* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: