Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
May 02, 2011
Dow AgroSciences LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: DOW), and Oregon State University have entered into a research agreement to apply EXZACT™ Precision Technology in trees, with the goal of accelerating and enhancing research into tree improvement.
Dow AgroSciences’ EXZACT™ Precision Technology provides a versatile and comprehensive toolkit for targeted genome modification. Its well-established ability to specifically and efficiently add, edit, or delete genes in complex plant genomes has made it the leading tool for precise engineering of multi-gene stacks, editing of native gene sequences and targeted gene disruption in a wide variety of plant species. This new research will apply EXZACT™ to cutting edge research into tree improvement, a critical area for the lumber industry.
As part of the agreement, researchers at Oregon State University will make modifications to essential genes for flowering and reproduction. Dow AgroSciences is providing its technology as well as access to intellectual property, validated, high-quality zinc-finger reagents, and scientific expertise.
“Tree biotechnology is an exciting new field for agriculture and represents an important opportunity for both traditional industries like lumber and paper, and newly emerging bioenergy companies,” said Kay Kuenker, Vice President for New Business at Dow AgroSciences. “Dow AgroSciences is looking forward to working with the researchers at Oregon State University to create innovation in this new area by using the power of EXZACT™ Precision Technology.”
“This agreement with Dow AgroSciences will spur new approaches and advances in tree biotechnology at Oregon State University. We are excited to work with Dow AgroSciences and share this exciting new technology,” said Steven Strauss, Ph.D., University Distinguished Professor in Forest Biotechnology. Dr. Strauss is leading the research program along with several collaborators, including Dow AgroSciences’ EXZACT™ Scientific Leader Vipula Shukla, Ph.D.
Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
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