Talking Biotech with Dr. Kevin Folta

Strawberry is a popular fruit with tremendous commercial value, and while everyone loves a good strawberry, are they actually getting better? This week’s podcast talks to Dr. Jim Hancock, strawberry breeder from Michigan State University.  Dr. Hancock explains strawberry’s wild history, from cultivation by indigenous people in Chile, to colonists moving them around the world, to spies taking them home to the king.  Modern challenges and solutions to sustainable production are discussed. In the second part of the podcast professional speaker and agvocate Michele Payn-Knoper (Cause Matters Corp.) talks about effective ag communication and her favorite places to find good information on science and agriculture. Foodinsight.org  —  geneticliteracyproject.com — thefarmerslife.com — Foodie Farmer   “My Favorites Things” cover by Gyu-Ho Lee.  Amazing guitar work on YouTube under gyu5730.# COLABRATalking Biotech is brought to you by Colabra – an R&D platform that brings your lab’s world-changing research together in one shared space. Learn more at https://www.colabra.app/# TALKING BIOTECHTwitter: https://twitter.com/talkingbiotechWebsite: https://www.colabra.app/podcasts/talking-biotech/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colabrahqThe Talking Biotech podcast is distinct from Dr. Kevin Folta's teaching and research roles at the University of Florida. The views expressed on the show are those of Dr. Folta and his guests, and do not reflect the opinions of the university or Colabra.

Could the lowly dandelion solve a crisis?  If Key Gene CEO Dr. Arjen van Tunen and associates are correct, this yard pest may be the basis of sustainable and highly profitable rubber production.  A growing middle class worldwide has produced a need for high-quality rubber, mostly for tires.  Rubber tree (the genus Havea) plantations in Southeast Asia are threatened by climate change, disease, and sustainable harvesting is costly and labor intensive.  However, the dandelion produces latex, just not in huge amounts.  Scientists at KeyGene have identified a high production version in Kazakhstan and combined its genetics with those of the larger, common dandelion.  The result is a plant that could revolutionize the rubber industry and provide a new high-value, easy-to-grow crop for farmers.  Environmental impacts are also discussed. In the process, the scientists at KeyGene also  identified genes related to apomixis, the ability to produce seeds without fertilization, essentially clones of the parent. Understanding these genes could dramatically change agriculture, as any plant could potentially be made to produce clonal seeds from the mother plant. In the second part of the podcast, correspondent Vern Blazek talks to Dr. Curt Hannah who answers a listener question about corn varieties and just how much genetic variation there is in modern modern hybrids. Plus some thoughts on the Borlaug CAST Agriculture Communications Award The audio at the end can be found here, along with a corresponding video.# COLABRATalking Biotech is brought to you by Colabra – an R&D platform that brings your lab’s world-changing research together in one shared space. Learn more at https://www.colabra.app/# TALKING BIOTECHTwitter: https://twitter.com/talkingbiotechWebsite: https://www.colabra.app/podcasts/talking-biotech/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colabrahqThe Talking Biotech podcast is distinct from Dr. Kevin Folta's teaching and research roles at the University of Florida. The views expressed on the show are those of Dr. Folta and his guests, and do not reflect the opinions of the university or Colabra.

Dietary reactions to wheat are on the rise, and science is grasping for answers.  One approach to work around the genetic basis of the reaction, and that is well understood.  With that information, scientists like Dr. Chris Miller at the Kansas Wheat Innovation Center are searching for innovative solutions. Current concepts seek to breed modern wheat with other historical varieties featuring low reactivity.  Future methods suggest that genetic engineering and gene editing might be especially effective solutions to the problem. Co-Hosted by Kevin Klatt, Graduate Student in Molecular Nutrition, Cornell University  Twitter: @Nutrevolve# COLABRATalking Biotech is brought to you by Colabra – an R&D platform that brings your lab’s world-changing research together in one shared space. Learn more at https://www.colabra.app/# TALKING BIOTECHTwitter: https://twitter.com/talkingbiotechWebsite: https://www.colabra.app/podcasts/talking-biotech/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colabrahqThe Talking Biotech podcast is distinct from Dr. Kevin Folta's teaching and research roles at the University of Florida. The views expressed on the show are those of Dr. Folta and his guests, and do not reflect the opinions of the university or Colabra.

When we think of the plants that are important to us, we might think right past the magical shrub that gives us coffee berries.  Coffee underpins major economies in the world, has an interesting history, and its sustainable production is threatened.We’re joined by Hanna Neuschwander from World Coffee Research.  Hanna describes what coffee is, its natural history, species in the wild, and breeding efforts to improve coffee.  We also discuss the major challenges that stand to harm coffee production in the future.Hanna Neuschwander  World Coffee Researchworldcoffeeresearch.org – websiteworldcoffeeresearch – facebook@WCoffeeResearch – Twitter@wcoffeeresearch – Instagram Hannah Neuenschwander (Co-Host) @hannahaggie2014 – Twitter@texanmeetsmidwest – Instagramwww.texanmeetsmidwest.com – Personal blog https://www.facebook.com/texanmeetsmidwest/ – Facebook page for blog# COLABRATalking Biotech is brought to you by Colabra – an R&D platform that brings your lab’s world-changing research together in one shared space. Learn more at https://www.colabra.app/# TALKING BIOTECHTwitter: https://twitter.com/talkingbiotechWebsite: https://www.colabra.app/podcasts/talking-biotech/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colabrahqThe Talking Biotech podcast is distinct from Dr. Kevin Folta's teaching and research roles at the University of Florida. The views expressed on the show are those of Dr. Folta and his guests, and do not reflect the opinions of the university or Colabra.

Recent unpublished reports are popping up on the internet that suggest that the herbicide glyphosate is showing up at dangerous levels in a variety of places.  These range from breast milk, to beer, to wine, to potato chips.   There are a number of laboratories and kit manufacturers that are excited to provide a means for such analysis.  In the hands of the untrained, such kits and data are nothing more than in invitation for misinterpretation or misuse.In this week’s podcast we talk to two experts that routinely measure rare compounds.  Dr. Shelley McGuire discusses her findings as a lactation specialist, describing the results in her recent paper on glyphosate in breast milk.  Dr. Thomas Colquhoun speaks about the methods and kits, along with what the alleged findings in wine really mean.Twitter @mcguiresmiguireThomas Colquhoun’s website# COLABRATalking Biotech is brought to you by Colabra – an R&D platform that brings your lab’s world-changing research together in one shared space. Learn more at https://www.colabra.app/# TALKING BIOTECHTwitter: https://twitter.com/talkingbiotechWebsite: https://www.colabra.app/podcasts/talking-biotech/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colabrahqThe Talking Biotech podcast is distinct from Dr. Kevin Folta's teaching and research roles at the University of Florida. The views expressed on the show are those of Dr. Folta and his guests, and do not reflect the opinions of the university or Colabra.

Dr. Leena Tripathi is a leader in banana biotechnology, working at IITA in Nairobi, Kenya.  She has been publishing prolifically on a number of solutions for banana disease resistance using genetic engineering.  In this episode of Talking Biotech she discusses the disease threats to banana production in Africa, and the solutions she has identified.  She also touches on the social climate, farm structure, and attitudes toward the technology.  You’ll hear many thoughts that will surprise you!Twitter @@IITA_CGIAR # COLABRATalking Biotech is brought to you by Colabra – an R&D platform that brings your lab’s world-changing research together in one shared space. Learn more at https://www.colabra.app/# TALKING BIOTECHTwitter: https://twitter.com/talkingbiotechWebsite: https://www.colabra.app/podcasts/talking-biotech/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colabrahqThe Talking Biotech podcast is distinct from Dr. Kevin Folta's teaching and research roles at the University of Florida. The views expressed on the show are those of Dr. Folta and his guests, and do not reflect the opinions of the university or Colabra.

If you tell a stranger that something called “delta endotoxin” is as close as it gets to a miracle, they’d likely respond in one of two ways.  They’d either want you to seek counseling, or find out if they can get it injected into their faces.  Humans have love-hate relationships with toxic compounds, and delta endotoxin, or “Bt toxin” is no exception.This natural protein is toxic to a specific suite of pests, namely caterpillars that consume ag crops.  It has been understood for decades and is widely used in organic farming.It also is the protein used to protect corn and cotton from insect damage, and now is being used in eggplant in Bangladesh.  The use of this natural insecticide has massively cut the use of broad-spectrum insecticides.Today on the podcast it is a pleasure to talk to Dr. Fred Perlak.  Dr. Perlak worked with Bt from the beginning.  From understanding its role in insect physiology to identifying the gene, to helping introduce it to plants, he knows this topic as well as anyone.  We discuss history and applications.In the second half your questions are answered.  Twitter @FredPerlak# COLABRATalking Biotech is brought to you by Colabra – an R&D platform that brings your lab’s world-changing research together in one shared space. Learn more at https://www.colabra.app/# TALKING BIOTECHTwitter: https://twitter.com/talkingbiotechWebsite: https://www.colabra.app/podcasts/talking-biotech/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colabrahqThe Talking Biotech podcast is distinct from Dr. Kevin Folta's teaching and research roles at the University of Florida. The views expressed on the show are those of Dr. Folta and his guests, and do not reflect the opinions of the university or Colabra.

Cherries are a perennial favorite fruit.  However, they are a tree, so their genetic improvement is slow.  Episode 27 features Dr. Amy Iezzoni, as she discusses cherry genetic origins and efforts to improve cherry through traditional breeding.In part two, your questions are answered, namely questions about reports of glyphosate in urine, breastmilk and Germans.# COLABRATalking Biotech is brought to you by Colabra – an R&D platform that brings your lab’s world-changing research together in one shared space. Learn more at https://www.colabra.app/# TALKING BIOTECHTwitter: https://twitter.com/talkingbiotechWebsite: https://www.colabra.app/podcasts/talking-biotech/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colabrahqThe Talking Biotech podcast is distinct from Dr. Kevin Folta's teaching and research roles at the University of Florida. The views expressed on the show are those of Dr. Folta and his guests, and do not reflect the opinions of the university or Colabra.

The story of how genetic engineering saved the Hawaiian papaya industry gets lost in the discussion of agronomic crop uses of the technology.  This story is important because this is not just a story of technology. It is the story of people.Joni Kamiya tells the story of growing up on her family’s farm and the changes that came with the virus and how the genetically engineered saved production of this traditional crop for their family.Follow Joni on Twitter at @HIFarmersDtr, and her blog at hawaiifarmersdaughter.com  The second part of the podcast visits with Cornell plant virologist Dr. Dennis Gonsalves.  He studied papaya ringspot virus in the 1970’s and 1980’s, designing clever solutions to treat the disease that plagued the industry in his home state.  Into the 1990’s he teamed with others working in genetic engineering to develop a solution for papaya.  While the first half of his interview is about the disease and the techniques used to solve it, the second half is about the satisfaction of being a kid growing up, going to university, studying under brilliant and kind supervisors that taught him to think about science, but to also think about people. This is a wonderful interview with a warm and charming wayward Hawaiian boy that returned home to rescue an small-farmers growing a traditional crop in the place he loves.  He also touches on how activists derail technology deployment, and how public-sector scientists need to step up in efforts to create products and engage the public.# COLABRATalking Biotech is brought to you by Colabra – an R&D platform that brings your lab’s world-changing research together in one shared space. Learn more at https://www.colabra.app/# TALKING BIOTECHTwitter: https://twitter.com/talkingbiotechWebsite: https://www.colabra.app/podcasts/talking-biotech/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colabrahqThe Talking Biotech podcast is distinct from Dr. Kevin Folta's teaching and research roles at the University of Florida. The views expressed on the show are those of Dr. Folta and his guests, and do not reflect the opinions of the university or Colabra.

In today’s Talking Biotech Podcast the first guest is Keira Havens.   She’s the CEO of Revolution Bio, a company turned non-profit that is interested in using the power of plants to introduce the public to the power of genetic engineering.  They have found good public support for genetically engineered flowers, and hope that this technology is a gateway to a broader understanding of the technology.  In part two, Dr. Natalia Peres talks about the EWG’s Dirty Dozen, especially as the concept applies to strawberries.  Strawberries are EWG’s #3 “dirty” fruit on their agenda, and Dr. Peres tells the facts about the pesticides used and their relative risks.  Spoiler alert– your strawberries are safe, right out of the field!Revolution Bioengineering = @revolutionbio Natalia Peres, strawberry pathologist # COLABRATalking Biotech is brought to you by Colabra – an R&D platform that brings your lab’s world-changing research together in one shared space. Learn more at https://www.colabra.app/# TALKING BIOTECHTwitter: https://twitter.com/talkingbiotechWebsite: https://www.colabra.app/podcasts/talking-biotech/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colabrahqThe Talking Biotech podcast is distinct from Dr. Kevin Folta's teaching and research roles at the University of Florida. The views expressed on the show are those of Dr. Folta and his guests, and do not reflect the opinions of the university or Colabra.