The first transgenic plants were produced 40 years ago, and the first commercial tomato crop was grown in 1994, followed by soybeans in 1996 and corn (maize) in 1998.  Since then the adoption of biotechnology in crops has expanded exponentially; 190 million hectares were grown in 29 countries in 2019.  In the last few years, specialty crops have been developed which are marketed and consumed in-country to avoid the regulatory challenges which are faced by commodity crops. In contrast, while the first transgenic mice were produced in 1974, the adoption in agriculture has not been as smooth, primarily due to the different regulatory environment. Some animals have been developed for production of drugs, but the only animal approved for consumption (in the USA and Canada) is the AquaVantage Salmon, and its introduction into the market since its approval in 2015 has faced a number of hurdles. The recent addition of genome editing to the plant and animal breeders toolbox is accelerating the options for improvement, and challenging regulators to respond to these new approaches. This panel discussion will bring together experts in the field of animal and plant biotechnology from academia, industry, and government regulatory agencies to consider the future direction of plant and animal biotechnology. Points of discussion will include the effect of regulatory decisions on the direction of research and development, whether genome editing will eclipse or complement traditional transgenic approaches, and how stewardship and traceability will evolve in an increasing complex world regulatory and trade situation.

Genetic engineering of plant and animal organisms using transgenic and genome editing technologies offers the opportunity to incorporate many agronomic and economic benefits that are difficult or impossible to achieve through traditional breeding techniques. The use of this approach in developing new transgenic products will become increasingly more important to accommodate the ever-growing global population and addressing the challenge of climate change. However, the potential risks and unforeseen consequences to the environment and human health associated with various biotechnology approaches and innovations raise valid public concerns on the application of biotechnology and the commercialization of transgenic products. This session will cover recent research advances in biotechnology risk assessment, gene containment, and risk mitigation strategy development, in both plants and animals. The presentations and discussions about this important topic will provide scientific-based information to facilitate rational development and application of genetic engineering and genome editing technologies for plant and animal improvement. The information presented in this session will also help streamline effective regulatory processes in facilitating product development and commercialization of genetically engineered organisms.

Amidst the challenges posed by climate change, regenerative agriculture prioritizes resilience traits, plant diversity, and soil health, with the ultimate goal of enhancing the overall quality and sustainability of the land and future food production. While traditional breeding methods have been effective in improving yields and disease resistance, they can take many years and are limited in their ability to uncover traits absent from the collective germplasm. New breeding technologies (NBT), including novel plant engineering techniques, have been instrumental in accelerating the development of new plant traits. This session will showcase examples of utilizing these technologies to introduce changes in DNA sequences and methylation in chromatin structures, thereby creating desired traits for regenerative agriculture, encompassing crops, vegetables, and plants that are difficult to improve by classical breeding approaches.

Bio: Dr. S. Eliza Lockwood is an emergency medicine physician and medical toxicologist with a long-standing interest in global health.  After completing her toxicology fellowship at NYU in 2006, Dr. Lockwood returned to Washington University in St. Louis and started an ACGME accredited fellowship in Medical Toxicology. Over the following ten years, Dr. Lockwood became increasingly involved with global health and humanitarian relief projects.  She organized a relief mission to Haiti after the 2010 earthquake, started the scholar track in Global Health for the Washington University Division of Emergency Medicine, and was one of the Global Health Scholars for the Department of Internal Medicine. Over the years, Dr. Lockwood began to realize that in order to have a sustainable impact in global health, she needed to find creative ways of addressing malnutrition and insect-borne illness, two of the most commonly encountered public health problems in developing countries.  With that in mind, Dr. Lockwood started working as the Medical Affairs Lead for Bayer, a global seed and chemical company with innovative technology that has great potential to remediate malnutrition. Dr. Lockwood has lectured nationally and internationally on a diverse range of topics in medical toxicology and global health.

The In Vitro Animal Cell Sciences Section (IVACS) of the Society for In Vitro Biology is pleased to announce the 2025 Post Doctoral Oral Presentation Competition during the SIVB Annual meeting in Norfolk, VA. This competition encourages the exchange of scientific information between the post doctoral presenters, attendees and judges. Additionally, it provides an invaluable opportunity for post doctoral presenter to work on their presentation delivery and public speaking skills. Post doctoral fellows who wish to participate in this competition should check that option during the submission of their abstract to the 2025 SIVB Annual meeting. The oral presentations will be presented in-person at the meeting and a panel of expert judges will select the top presentation. Evaluation criteria will include experimental design, data analysis, proper interpretation of the results, originality of the study, technical difficulty, professionalism, the ability of the finalist to explain the research and answer questions, and importantly, adherence to the allocated time for the presentation. The Post Doctoral Oral Presentation Competition session serves to recognize and reward the research and achievements of outstanding students. The finalists will be presented with a certificate and a cash award during the 2025 SIVB Annual meeting. The DEADLINE for abstract submission for the Post Doctoral Oral Presentation Competition is January 31, 2025. Should you have any questions, please contact the SIVB Office or the session moderators. We are looking forward to reviewing your abstract!

One of the major challenges in plant tissue culture is the genotype-dependency of many protocols, requiring a tailored approach for each new genotype. Additionally, genotypes that are easier to transform are often not ones preferred by farmers. This forces scientists working with inbred lines to go through multiple generations of backcrossing to transfer a transgene or gene edit from a genotype that is easy to transform to one that is more agriculturally desirable. In recent years, more and more efforts have been made to reduce genotype dependence of plant regeneration. In this session, speakers will highlight efforts to achieve genotype-independent plant regeneration and the positive outcomes on gene editing studies.

Agriculture-led growth, when driven by technology and innovation, is a proven formula for a diversified economy, greater prosperity for smallholder farmers and consumers, and climate change adaptation and even mitigation.  For genome editing, policy, regulatory, and technical challenges in Africa have been a millstone that Africa scientists have had to bear while other regions and countries take full advantage of the technology for innumerable crop improvements. Through the perseverance and persistence of African leaders, attitudes and investments are changing.  More scientists are being trained and infrastructure in African laboratories is being strengthened.  Science-based, evidence-based policy and regulation is being implemented in more African countries each year. Edited staple crops are being evaluated in the field and treated as conventionally-bred crops, with no need for onerous confined field trial regulations.  The donor community is addressing challenges with a greater focus on local scientists and local challenges. The private sector has stepped up with agreements, training, and technology transfer. Much more remains to be done to put African scientists, working in Africa, on an even footing with other regions and thereby creating an African bioeconomy with good jobs and opportunities. Speakers at this workshop will share their experiences in building this bioeconomy while explaining remaining hurdles to clear for a vibrant and productive sector in new breeding technologies.